


please say, "you're mine."

by kodzukens



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, M/M, also yuta's a cutie here, and jaehyun just wants sum love, doyoung's just really confused, mentions of other group members, this isn't what you think it is, yuta is doyoung's love counselor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 11:31:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19061764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kodzukens/pseuds/kodzukens
Summary: From Transfigurations to Quidditch, Jung Jaehyun has Doyoung questioning his own thoughts and instincts every time he opens his mouth and it's more than frustrating for Doyoung.alternative summary: Jaehyun drives Doyoung crazy and Doyoung should really listen to his friends more





	please say, "you're mine."

**Author's Note:**

> it's dojae again. are we surprised at this point? i swear i'll write something that isn't dojae soon ksjksjskjdkdjskdjskjd but this was sitting in my docs so
> 
> i would also like to thank my three moms who have done nothing but support even my most weirdest behaviors that include writing this fic. love you.
> 
> title inspired from wjsn's say yes.

“It sounds weird but she named her pygmy puff Joy, after me -- which is my nickname, Doyoung.”

Doyoung could only furrow his eyebrows at Sooyoung’s explanation, who looks just as puzzled at her own words. It’s another day in the courtyard for the two of them - Sooyoung allegedly accompanying Doyoung on his prefect duties although it just consists of them just them idling around the area, only loafing on one corner where they might’ve played gobstones when they were formerly fairly new students. They’ve stopped playing after fourth year; Doyoung occasionally misses the routine but they’ve simply grown out of it. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Seulgi even look in your direction,” Doyoung says thoughtfully, receiving a disgruntled look from Sooyoung. “Sorry, Sooyoung. I don’t want to ruin your dreams of eloping with Seulgi but there are probably tons of people named Joy in this school that isn’t you.”

Sooyoung sniffs in defeat at that. “You’re right,” she says with a sigh. “I know I shouldn’t have hoped too hard but -- I can’t help it, y’know?”

Admittedly, Doyoung feels a slight prick of guilt in his chest. He had always set his words with no care or thought, always blunt to the point where it causes brief feuds (which was what exactly happened with Lee Taeyong during third year.) In other words, he has no filter whatsoever, and his straightforwardness is a problem.

He pokes Sooyoung’s arm, “You wanna get some pudding?”

“I guess,” Sooyoung says. It’s no secret that she’s always been easily swayed by desserts. “I haven’t even had breakfast today.”

“Because of the pygmy puff?”

Sooyoung snorts, “Because of Hamaliel,” she corrects, rising up to her feet. “The poor cat has been shaken up ever since Yerim decided to set off dungbombs in our room -- won’t stop clinging on me.”

Doyoung briefly gets reminded of that time, where Sooyoung or any girl she shared her room with, never failed to stink up the Slytherin common room with their very presence upon the first step they take. It was the only time then that Doyoung had seen the common room so dead, students filing straight into their rooms to avoid the putrid smell of the dungbombs. This went on for two weeks. Doyoung doesn’t know how much Yerim had set off but according to Sooyoung, it was at least twenty or more. It was a wonder how they even breathed in that room -- most especially Yerim, who would just giggle at her roommates as if she herself wasn’t soaked in such an unpleasant scent.

“Well,” Doyoung starts off, jolting upwards when Sooyoung decides to pull on his arm. “I don’t know much about cats but I sure am grateful that smell washed off of you.”

“Yeah -- whatever, enough of me and my stinky cat,” Sooyoung says, glancing at Doyoung with a glint in her eyes. “I saw you and Kim Jungwoo hanging out together earlier -- alone and with no chaperone?”

“Are you being suggestive or are you being jealous because I may have found a better friend?”

“I’m your only friend, Doyoung, don’t even try -- now answer the question!”

“He’s a good friend,” Doyoung says, earning a pointed look from Sooyoung that just says that she doesn’t believe what he’s saying at all, to which he rolls his eyes at. “I don’t know -- we’ve only ever talked about classes, Potions, illegal creatures his uncle owns, and Sir Siwon’s growing beard.”

Sooyoung appears to be dissatisfied with that answer, but trusting in it anyways. “That’s… boring,” she comments.

Doyoung shrugs, “I don’t see how Potions is boring.”

“Please don’t start this again,” Sooyoung pleads. 

“I am just simply saying that Potions raises our knowledge of ---”

He doesn’t get to finish his statements when he gets trampled over by a tiny bolting figure, as fast as a pixie, except it was walking on four legs, and that sends Doyoung tumbling over on the ground, his bottom making an embarrassingly loud thump as he crashes down. The sound of Sooyoung cackling doesn’t help it either, only adding to the heat that spreads itself on Doyoung’s cheeks.

It is more than humiliating for Doyoung to find himself in a position like this. He had spent his whole four years in Hogwarts building up a reputation when he was going to be a prefect: no slip-ups, no mistakes on the job, and absolutely no loss of composure. He had done all of that in his first year as a prefect — and now it’s all in shambles. Doyoung is a loser.

“I’m really sorry —“ A shadow looms over Doyoung’s face, and he is met with a barely visible scrunched up face, silhouetted by the winter sun and a Gryffindor necktie tickling his nose. “That was my crup -- Peaches -- he gets really excited when I let him out of my dorm.” 

“Your crup ran over me,” Doyoung says, horribly pointing out the obvious as he continues to stare at the silhouette above him, “and it made me fall.”

The barely comprehensive face perhaps blinks at him, “Yes,” he says slowly. “That was a given.”

“It hurt.”

Sooyoung snorts, “He’s dramatic,” she tells Gryffindor Boy. “He’ll get over it.” 

Gryffindor Boy doesn’t seem convinced by this, only frowning even more at Sooyoung’s words. “Well, I’m still sorry.” He offers Doyoung his hand, and Doyoung can only stare at it, feeling a brief burst of embarrassment travel through his face, before he submits and accepts, letting himself get lifted up from the ground. 

When Doyoung straightens and regains his poise, it’s when he can see Gryffindor Boy’s face crystal clear; ruffled peach hair, soft brown eyes, and dimples. It’s just Doyoung’s luck to stumble upon such an infamous figure.

“Jung Jaehyun,” Doyoung starts, brushing off any dirt on his robes and ignoring Sooyoung’s snickers. “With your penchant for trouble, I should’ve known it was you.”

Jung Jaehyun is a notorious figure around Hogwarts, known for being the Gryffindor’s Quidditch captain and Chaser, the match commentator when he’s not playing, alongside Johnny Seo, and also for attempting to sneak in a dragon in school grounds. Doyoung has never had a real interaction with him until this moment despite being in the same year, but he’s heard quite a lot about this reckless soul. 

A squeak erupts from Sooyoung and Jaehyun’s grimace deepens, “I already said I was sorry,” he says, sounding truly genuine. “If you’re that upset -- is there anything I can do to make it up to you? Just tell me. I promise I’ll do it.”

Doyoung blinks at him, “Are you serious?”

“I am.” The tone in Jaehyun’s voice is certain but there’s a hint of confusion also -- as if he left out the words to say, Well, why wouldn’t I be?

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

It’s an awfully reckless thing to say that, even more stupid to promise that to Doyoung, of all people. But then again, bravery is, after all, a Gryffindor’s main element. Jaehyun fits just that one characteristic, as he looks at Doyoung with an anticipating stare; his gaze is as warm as the sun. 

“I’ll think about it sometime,” Doyoung says after a while of thinking, waving Jaehyun off with a flailing hand of dismissal. “Right now, you should run after your crup or something.”

Jaehyun blinks, “Right.” The cadence of his voice is soft, a lace of confusion present. “I’ll see you around then.” His gaze lingers in Doyoung for one more beat before he eventually scampers away to find his crup. 

Doyoung allows himself to watch as Jaehyun’s back, his figure becoming smaller and smaller until it isn’t visible to Doyoung anymore. That’s when he turns to Sooyoung, who has been unusually mute this whole encounter, and she’s just staring at Doyoung with a cheeky grin. Doyoung already knows what that kind of look holds, and he only narrows his eyes at her as they make their way back inside the castle..

“Don’t,” he says, pointing an accusing finger at her, “say anything. You’re clearly getting the wrong idea.”

Sooyoung widens her eyes, bright with mischief and amusement. “I didn’t say anything though?”

“You’re giving me that —“ Doyoung accuses, gesturing wildly at her, “— that look.”

Sooyoung cackles loudly at him, lightly pushing Doyoung’s shoulders with her own. “You’re an ideal example of an idiotic disaster.”

Doyoung furrows his eyebrows. It’s one thing to call Doyoung an idiot or a disaster but smashing those two words together to exemplify Doyoung is unforgivable. Most especially when it comes out from Sooyoung’s — the actual devil — mouth. 

He voices this out exactly and Sooyoung guffaws once again, “But it is true though,” she says, voice low as if she trying to muffle another erupting laugh. “You should’ve seen your face when you were talking to him — you were blushing and all that.”

Doyoung had not noticed that detail at all, and it’s when Sooyoung mentions it that he feels the flush on his face. “I was not!” He says, only adding fire to the mocking laughter of his best friend. “I really wasn’t! Park Sooyoung, you take that back!”

“Alright! I’ll take that back!” Sooyoung says, rolling her eyes. “Just for your convenience, my prince.”

“If you don’t shut up, you can forget that deal for pudding.” 

Sooyoung only snorts at him before simmering down, swiftly transitioning the subject into how she has had very strong opinions of their new password for this year. Doyoung nods and mumbles occasional words of agreement, handing out his own thoughts about Sooyoung’s minor dilemma. Just to distract himself from the distant sound of barking and the familiar voice cooing softly, trailing behind them. 

-

The textbook perched on top of Doyoung’s table, is quiet, stationary, and the more that Doyoung continues to stare at it, the more it seems to mock Doyoung — just completely being immobile in its spot and was practically saying to Doyoung’s face: Ha! You think you’re so smart! The thought in itself is aggravating Doyoung’s mind.

Transfigurations was one of the subjects that he hadn’t really excelled in, thankful that he had barely passed his O.W.L.S. The only reason why he chose to continue this subject was so that he would have a wider range of job opportunities in the future — and he really regrets doing it.

Especially at this moment.

Avis — the Bird-Conjuring Charm — was today’s lesson, and if Professor Kim hasn’t been anything but kind and patient toward him throughout the whole duration of the period, his sanity would’ve snapped and all hell would break loose inside the classroom. Though it seemed like Doyoung wasn’t the only one about to go insane, Johnny Seo appears as if he might break his wand into two — or more pieces.

Doyoung exhales an exasperated huff before he decides to test out the spell once more. He steadies his hand on the page of his textbook, and he prepares to flick his wand on the other. 

“Avis,” he says, raising his voice as clear and loud, focusing all his energy on this spell as he much as he can before he swishes his wand.

The tip of his wand blazes a blue light, glowing slowly but surely by the second. Doyoung grows hopeful then, eagerly leaning closer to his wand until a blast of peaches rain down from his wand instead of the wanted outcome of birds. The result has Doyoung slumping back into his seat, weary and irritated.

“Hey there again.” A ghost of a touch pokes Doyoung’s back and he jerks his head to see a familiar mop of pink hair. Who could it be other than Jung Jaehyun, flashing his well-known dimples and bright smile at Doyoung. He’s bending from his own table in a very uncomfortable angle behind Doyoung but the grin on his face displays little to none uneasiness. “Can I have some of those? Please?”

Doyoung furrows his eyebrows, “And what makes you think I would say yes?”

“Because I said please?” 

Doyoung pauses at that, he is a weak man for polite manners. If he were to be honest, he gave into his prejudiced thoughts when Jung Jaehyun would come into mention (all thank to Sooyoung’s gossip express,) and his impressions if he were ever to have an actual interaction with Jung Jaehyun before this, was maybe the latter would be a bit too rude and condescending that would give Doyoung many opportunities to remove points from Gryffindor. It’s not an idea of good nature but it is honest at least.

“Why not?” Doyoung sighs in ultimate defeat, handing him one that which the other merrily accepts with a soft sound of joy. “I hate this module.”

Jaehyun raises a curious eyebrow at him, another smile playing on his lips as he sniffs the fruit in his hand. “Try to look at the page you’ve been studying on again,” he says, with a tone indicating that there’s something that he knows more than Doyoung, and that tone only adds to Doyoung’s frustration.

“I’ve been on the same page for this whole period, Jaehyun, I think I know what I’m looking at,” Doyoung tells Jaehyun with a roll of his eyes but still turns to his textbook to entertain Jaehyun and his absurd hidden implication that Doyoung was doing something wrong. Doyoung would be a complete fool if he had been wasting his time, biding on one wrong page.

To which, he realizes afterwards when he rereads the passages, that he is a fool. He’s been looking at the wrong page for the movement, and that he’d been citing Avis like a madman since earlier while motioning his wand -- incorrectly. How did Professor Kim not notice?

“What the actual fuck,” he mutters to himself, scanning the pages once more to confirm. He closes his eyes, exhaling out a sigh of exasperation. It’s as if his life has been drained out of him. It only adds to the former lethargy he had been feeling previously. “I’m an idiot disaster.”

“You can always try again,” Jaehyun hums thoughtfully, still bent over his seat. “Though I don’t get why you were even in the wrong page, Professor Kim specifically said to do a bird-like wand movement.”

Doyoung is, by all means, not really familiar with the common notion of what bird-like exactly is. It could be a curved letter M, an upside down W, or a V. There’s a whole lot of thoughts that come to mind, and Doyoung doesn’t quite know which one to pick, especially since his mind was blanking out at certain times of the lecture for reasons unknown. This isn’t at all like Potions, where everything is hands-on from the start. Professor Kim’s method of lecture before demonstration doesn’t really appeal to Doyoung.

He tells Jaehyun all of this, and he receives another look of interest from the other, one that might say: I get your point but it’s still weird. Doyoung rolls his eyes at that, choosing to perform the spell once more. 

“Avis,” he says, flicking his wand accurately this time. He hears another hum from Jaehyun, this one out of contentment. He seems to like doing that a lot.

His wand gleams with the same cerulean glow from earlier, radiating brightly before dying down to conjure a flock of blue birds, fluttering around the classroom. He feels a grin up on his lips as pride happily bursts in chest. Doyoung glances at Professor Kim to make sure that she has taken attention to his work, and she did, having the faintest smile on her pale face upon watching Doyoung and his birds before turning to the aid of another student, Kim Mingyu, whose wand is producing nothing but severed heads endlessly throughout the room.

“Bluebirds,” Jaehyun says after a while. “That’s cool, mine were Pine Grosbeaks and —“

“Thank you,” Doyoung tells him. “I really am thankful.” 

A look of surprise crosses Jaehyun’s face before he eventually grins at Doyoung. “You’re welcome,” he says before leaning closer to his ear. “By the way, I forgot to ask — what’s your name?”

Ignoring the wash of disappointment and the instinct to snap at Jaehyun for not asking sooner, Doyoung painfully smiles at Jaehyun as he says, “Kim Doyoung — sixth year prefect for Slytherin.”

It sounds incredibly arrogant and condescending, even for Doyoung, to add that extra bit but he’s always feels that necessary need to complete his introduction with that finish. It helps for the person to be cautious around him if they don’t notice his badge, according to the prefects above him. So, despite getting malicious coughs from people (Sooyoung,) Doyoung does it anyway.

“Oh — I’ve noticed that— the badge, I mean,” Jaehyun says, eyes suspiciously bright as he stares at Doyoung. “I’ve been asking my friends about you: pretty Slytherin prefect boy, with wide eyes and a bunny-looking face —“

“I do not look like a bunny,” Doyoung snaps at him. His bluebirds are gone now, no longer soaring around his head. 

Jaehyun ignores him. “Yeah, so I asked them not just because you’re pretty, but also because I sorta owe you a promise. You didn’t forget it, did you?”

Doyoung did, in fact, forget all about it. Their first and last conversation had been a week ago, and Doyoung happens to be a very busy student with very personal reasons: classes, prefect duties, plans to be in favor of being the future Head Boy, doting on Jeno whose new habit seems to be avoiding Doyoung at all costs, and assisting Sooyoung in her date with Seulgi in Three Broomsticks soon (as it turns out, Seulgi actually did know Sooyoung and reciprocated just as much.) With that, Doyoung simply didn’t have time to remember Jaehyun at all despite swearing to himself that he’ll give Jaehyun a very agonizing favor: like doing his Herbology homework for him if Jungwoo ever gets sick of him asking for answers every five seconds or screaming at Professor Park if he talks about his life story instead of the actual lesson.

And also Jaehyun just called him pretty and he doesn’t know how to respond to that, stopping in his tracks.

Jaehyun falters when Doyoung freezes, almost sounding sad when he says, “You did forget.”

There’s no point in lying when Jaehyun already has him caught. “Alright, I did,” he says in defeat. “But now that you have refreshed it in my mind, I’ll think about it!”

“Right,” Jaehyun teases, drawing much closer to Doyoung that he fears that Jaehyun will tumble over onto his table, “and perhaps leave me hanging for another week?”

“I don’t take promises easily,” Doyoung says. “I just don’t want to waste it, that’s all.” 

Jaehyun hums again, “Well, I’m a very patient person,” he tells Doyoung. “Just tell me if you see me or y’know — just find me!”

“Alright —“ Doyoung begins, about to tell him to return to his seat before he breaks off when a silhouette enters their their conversation, and Doyoung raises his eyes to see Professor Kim staring down at the two of them despite her petite figure. He closes his mouth immediately.

“Mr Jung, it appears as if you’re more invested in gawking at Mr Kim’s face than your textbook to the point where it seems like you’d rather plant your face onto his desk instead of yours.”

Doyoung’s face heats up as Jaehyun grins up at Professor Kim, before streaks of pink flash from behind Doyoung, slapping Doyoung and Professor Kim with a gust of wind, flitting through the classroom aggressively with equally fierce chirps. They soar around the classroom, one of them pulling on Bae Yoobin’s hair, resulting in a thundering scream from the poor girl. Doyoung jerks his head to meet Jaehyun’s gaze, eyes bright as the sun and pink hair tousled from what Doyoung can assume came from his birds.

“I’m not quite sure but I have a feeling those are your birds?” Doyoung inquiries with amusement through the noise of the birds’ deafening twitter. 

The smile on Jaehyun’s face grows brighter at that. “They are, and a lot more than yours I think,” he says.

Just as Doyoung was about to retort, Professor Kim speaks once again, glowering at Jaehyun and him. “Mr Jung, I do appreciate your ability and effort to cast the spell; you truly have the native talent but it was completely unnecessary to conjure the birds up onto everyone’s faces.”

Jaehyun just shrugs before flopping back down on his seat, the extra heat that was radiating from him gone from Doyoung’s radar.

Doyoung was just about cackle out a laugh before Professor Kim’s gaze lands on him, and the flush on his face is inevitable. “And for you, Mr Kim: talking while a teacher is directly in front of you?”

Doyoung squeaks out an apology, that sole action resulting in Professor Kim’s firm stare softening. She pauses before she eventually speaks up again, “I’ll let you two off on a warning, alright?” She tells them before walking away, heels clacking with each step. 

Doyoung spins around for a brief glance at Jaehyun, who returns his gaze with a curious look. They both look each other straight in the eye for one beat of a moment before grins simultaneously break out into their faces. 

When Doyoung turns back to face Professor Kim, who’s praising the students that have managed to conjure birds (Jaehyun and Doyoung mentioned,) Jaehyun swiftly bends over once more to place a ripped piece of parchment on Doyoung’s desk. 

In the note, in a rough cursive handwriting reads: 

look, i know i already said you’re pretty but when you smile, it’s even more noticeable :-)

Doyoun can only blink. The sudden heat rushing through Doyoung’s face isn’t unwarranted at all when he scans the note again to confirm its legitimacy.  
-

It’s in the middle of the night when Doyoung speaks, softly enough just for Yuta to hear in the adjacent bed. They’re both sprawled out in their respective beds, arms spread out and hair completely ruffled from rolling around in their bed. Ten, Xiaojun, and Jihoon are in deep slumber, soft snores rising out of them every second or so. It’s only been a few minutes since the three of them have entered the room but they’re already sleeping like logs.

“Hey, Yuta?”

A faint hum is his response. The light is low, the only source being the sliver of moonlight that passes through the curtain of their window. It makes Yuta’s face barely readable but only barely not impossible. Doyoung squints his eyes to see Yuta staring blankly at the ceiling, almost as if in a daze but Doyoung knows that he’s listening, not dead asleep. 

The admission flies quick from Doyoung’s lips. “Do you think I’m pretty?”

The whole day, he hadn’t been able to remove the whole encounter with Jaehyun out of his mind. He has always been called a lot of things in his life: diligent, ambitious, bright, and et cetera -- and Doyoung very well holds knowledge of the fact that those are one of his many attributes. But pretty is first time he has been described as such, the surprise is inevitable for Doyoung. Despite being a simple word, that coming from Jaehyun, has his thoughts running through that over and over for the whole duration of the day. It was more of a disturbance, really.

Yuta snorts, “Is this your way of flirting with me, Dons? If so, you’re doing a terrible job -- but you’re cute so I’ll give you that.” 

“Not like that!” Doyoung jolts up from his bed, his face heating up when he sees Yuta grinning, the smile undeterred by the darkness. “It’s just that -- I was just curious, y’know?”

“Mhm.” The usage of the word is normally for agreement but the underlying tone in Yuta’s voice speaks of anything but agreement. “Tell me the truth, Dons.”

Doyoung does his best to ignore the heat in his permeating through his face when he speaks, “Well, earlier -- someone called me pretty and I don’t know,” Doyoung says, biting the inside of his cheek. “I’ve never heard someone call me that so I’m just -- surprised.”

It doesn’t take light for Doyoung to notice the raise of an eyebrow from Yuta, the cadence of his voice rising in suspicion when he says, “Care to share who?”

Doyoung pauses to take a moment of contemplation, briefly running through the images of Jaehyun grinning at him with his glowing smile and his dimples as he calls Doyoung pretty like it was an everyday thing to tell someone he has barely met. The flood of the reminders has Doyoung weakly whispering out a dragged, “no,” to which he receives a chuckle from Yuta before the other eventually rises up to his feet, out from his bed to plop himself down onto Doyoung’s, wrinkling the formerly neat duvet in the process and ensuing a whine from Doyoung.

“Alright,” Yuta says, cradling his stuffed creature in his arms. It take a while for Doyoung to realize that the prints on his pyjamas are Nifflers and are glowing in the dark, though only by a small amount. “Another question: why does this have you worked up? Getting called pretty, I mean.”

“Just because,” Doyoung replies softly. The look on Yuta’s face evidently says that that isn’t the answer he was looking for, which leaves to give in and groan at his defeat. “Fine — it has my interest piqued because — no one’s quite ever told me that I was — pretty.”

Yuta goes quiet, and Doyoung knows that Yuta knows that there’s more to that but Yuta doesn’t pry any further. Instead he says, “If that’s all… then — yes, you are pretty —“

Doyoung can’t help himself but to exclaim, “Really?”

“Yeah, pretty obnoxious, pretty annoying —“

Doyoung smacks Yuta in the face with his pillow inducing a distressed grunt from Yuta. “Not joking,” Yuta tells him with a grin, barely dodging the second hit Doyoung throws at him. “But — you are pretty, Dons. I’m actually kinda surprised you’ve never heard someone say that to your face.”

The compliment has a feverish warmth easily brushing over Doyoung’s face as he stutters out, “Thank you.” The term isn’t exactly something he’s used to, and hearing another person say it again has his face steaming despite the cold night. It’s new but Doyoung enjoys hearing it, as if he was a cat getting stroked when it wants to. It’s all thanks to Jaehyun for stating such a revelation.

“All jokes aside — it’s true.” Yuta springs up to his feet, his bright smile effortlessly making Doyoung return it. “Now I gotta get to sleep ‘cause my first period is Potions tomorrow and you know how Professor Lee gets when you’re late to her class.”

Doyoung blinks up at Yuta, “I don’t actually.”

Yura chuckles, lowering his hand to ruffle Doyoung’s hair, blatantly choosing to ignore the protests of the other. “Right — sorta forgot you’re some her favorite student or something like that, Dons — but I’ll tell you when you’re late to Professor Lee’s class: nasty business, I’ll say.”

“Then you’d better get to sleep then, Yuta.”

“I better,” Yuta says with a smile before he saunters back to his own bed, halting midway to glance at Doyoung once again. “You’re also pretty cute, Dons.”

Doyoung shrinks back onto his blanket at that, his own simper growing. “Goodnight, Yuta.”

“Goodnight.” 

-

“Well, you seem to be in a horribly good mood today, Doyoung.” Is what slips out of Sooyoung’s mouth when Doyoung arrives in front of the Great Hall, clad in his all tidied up uniform and his prefect badge that glimmers proudly in the light. Yuta can’t join them today for breakfast as he has to complete his pile of Muggle Studies assignments that he had shoved into one corner of their room, swearing that he’ll do it before the week will end. 

(“You’re lying,” Ten accuses, sticking out a tongue, “you don’t finish your homework until they’re due the next day or hour.”

“I’ll finish it by tomorrow.” Yuta dismisses Ten’s statement with wave of his hand, promising that more onto himself than Ten.)

“Do I?” Doyoung retorts, throwing his satchel onto his shoulder and grinning up at Sooyoung, who returns the look with one of skepticism.

“Yes,” Sooyoung responds, directing Doyoung inside. “You don’t exactly smile when it’s morning, Doyoung.” 

Doyoung squints at her. If he’s looking quite unusual today then Sooyoung is more so compared to him: with her hair neatly tied up in a halfway ponytail, black tresses pooling on top of her shoulders, she also has her eyebrows done neatly and is wearing a dainty silver necklace with a matching emerald pendant of a baby chicken. It’s an accessory Doyoung has never seen her wear before, and that’s a lot to take in because Sooyoung has shown him her entire jewellery box when they were in second year. It’s also highly irregular for Sooyoung to do this because she did it by herself — without notifying Doyoung, who dolls her up routinely before they exit the common room together. So they’re both acting weird today. 

He voices this out to Sooyoung, and she stiffens, face coloring into a bright red. “Well,” she starts, fiddling with her necklace as one does with a memoir. “Seulgi gave me this when were in Hogsmeade the other day, said she enchanted it to change forms on certain times of the day and that each form of the pendant reminds me of her.”

She sounds so giddy when speaking about Seulgi, it’s almost as if Doyoung is hearing this directly from his from 5 year old niece. It’s an almost first year kind of crush, and it baffles Doyoung how someone can easily turn his best friend into a giggling mess.

“It turns into a real live Veela on 3 pm and a Porlock during dinner on Thursdays?” Doyoung says, earning a strong punch to his shoulders. “Ouch.” 

“It was a Pygmy Puff when she gave it to me,” Sooyoung says with a huff. “Now it’s a baby chicken.”

“You’re as annoying as one,” Doyoung says, highly deserving of the extra hit to his shoulders. He shouldn’t have underestimated Sooyoung’s strength as that one comment immediately has him clutching onto his shoulder. “Hey! Is that how you treat your prefect?”

“It’s how I treat you,” Sooyoung snorts. Her gaze instantly land on her girlfriend at her entrance, who seems to return Sooyoung’s stare, and the glint in Sooyoung’s eyes are enough for Doyoung to understand how serious she is about Kang Seulgi, and vice versa when Seulgi grins up at Sooyoung, returning the same look. It has Sooyoung creating a beeline over to her girlfriend, Doyoung in hot pursuit.

The crinkles on Seulgi’s eyes when she smiles at Sooyoung are terrifyingly identical to someone that Doyoung knows well; that someone with regularly tousled peach hair and well-known dimples goes by the name Jaehyun, the same Jaehyun who had left Doyoung’s thoughts in a hurricane after calling him pretty. The images of the other with his standard bright grin run briefly through Doyoung’s head, and the thought has Doyoung’s face heating up. It’s not quite like Doyoung to think of such things. 

They’ve been talking more after the whole Avis encounter, and Jaehyun’s love for dragons and other creatures is massive as his father owns a reserve for magical creatures. Their regular conversations about them has Doyoung more interested in caring for magical creatures. It almost has Doyoung regret not choosing Care For Magical Creatures.

Emphasis on the almost as the events of third year has deeply affected Doyoung.

“Good morning, Doyoung.” They look up to see Jungwoo joining them, dark hair falling to his hair and textbooks covering an entirety of face as he settles down with them. His smile is a pleasant one when he greets them, “and Seulgi, and Sooyoung. Good morning.”

The couple murmur their own pleasantries before returning to their conversation, in hushed whispers and giggles. It doesn’t take a while for Doyoung notice the glimmer of yellow dangling on Seulgi’s neck. The bear-shaped pendant has a barely comprehensive note written on it. Engraved in an elegant cursive font reads: From Joy. It’s a terribly amorous piece of work and it’s when Doyoung realizes that it must’ve been the reason why Sooyoung was a little bit too dazed to even speak to Doyoung the last week, and also why she was late to several Astronomy lasses, earning herself weeks of Detention. It’s a horribly irresponsible thing to do but Doyoung supposes it’s the thought that counts, or something like that. 

The gestures between the two have Doyoung a little bit jealous, if he were to be honest to what he’s feeling right now. Of course, not of the girls but rather, he longs of having an intimate relationship such as theirs despite himself having a difficulty to even make friends that aren’t just Jungwoo, Yuta, Sooyoung, and by an extension, Seulgi. (Taeyong doesn’t count at all, and Ten is only his friend when it comes to ganging up on Yuta.) He’s been told that it’s because he’s too uptight and blunt sometimes, according to Taeyong. It’s a habit he has to adjust in front of new people.

“Doyoung,” Jungwoo calls out, breaking him out his reverie by sliding Doyoung a leather bound book across the table. It’s his Herbology notes. “I hope you’ll finish your homework this time.”

Doyoung smiles at Jungwoo, “I’ll keep it in check, Woo,” he says. “I’m grateful that you keep doing me such favors.”

“Only because I know it’ll benefit me in the future,” Jungwoo jokes with a light laugh, his hand ghosting over his tie, yellow and black all wrangled up together. “I don’t really mind, Doyoung. I like doing Herbology!”

Fourth year truly was a blessing for Doyoung, not only did it give Doyoung a higher grade than average in Transfigurations for the first time, but it also gave him Jungwoo, a complete sweetheart who is more than kind enough to help him with Herbology.

“I really appreciate you, Woo,” Doyoung says, laughing out loud when Jungwoo pokes his cheek as a response. “You keep saving my butt in Herbology.”

“As you do when I’m answering my Potions work,” Jungwoo meekly replies, shoving a toast of bread in his mouth as he opens up one of the textbooks he’s brought. The green cover reads, Magical Plants and Benefits by Jongdae Kim. It’s a very fitting book for someone like Jungwoo, and it prompts Doyoung to leave him alone without any more disturbance. Doyoung opts to take a sip of his drink instead. 

A familiar figure flashes by in the speed of light but Doyoung is quick enough to recognize his brother, quickly calling out, “Lee Jeno!” and it instantly has his brother freezing in his steps before he eventually spins around and walks back towards Doyoung with begrudging steps, his Hufflepuff tie is bouncing when he approaches Doyoung, eyebrows all furrowed and he appears to be very upset, no doubt.

“What?” Jeno demands, crossing his arms over his chest and deliberately covering his tie. “Make it quick, hyung.” 

“Is that how you talk to your brother like that?” Doyoung says, teasing but the look on Jeno’s face has him shutting his mouth. “Nothing — just checking to see how your first year in Hogwarts is.”

“It’s been fine, I haven’t been murdered yet so I’m okay,” Jeno says, voice strained. He seems as if he’d rather be somewhere else than to be conversing with his own brother. It doesn’t take long before Jeno sighs and exasperatedly asks Doyoung, “Is that all? I have somewhere to be.” 

Doyoung is, expectedly, taken aback by the brash words from Jeno’s mouth but he swallows back a sharper response as he smiles at Jeno, completely drained. “Yeah,” he says. “I’ll see you around —“

Jeno doesn’t give him the privilege to finish his sentence as he already turns back on his heel to saunter onto wherever his original destination was. Doyoung holds back the urge to sigh. Ever since Jeno entered Hogwarts, he’s been doing a very great job in almost avoiding Doyoung at all costs. Clearly, Doyoung hadn’t done anything wrong before they went to Hogwarts, Jeno was in the same compartment as him and Sooyoung, curiously asking about what Hogwarts is like and smiling when Doyoung answers. It didn’t make sense for him to become so cold and distant all of a sudden.

“Having trouble with your brother again?” Jungwoo lowers his book to raise his eyes to Doyoung, who decides to sulkily looking at his juice. “I don’t know why he’s become so hostile of you, Doyoung. Jeno is a sweetheart when we meet in the common room.”

“I think I’ve done something to offend him, though I do not know what,” Doyoung says with a grimace. “Ever since he’s step foot in this bloody castle, he’s made it his life mission to never breathe in the same room as me as much as possible. I’m his brother for Merlin’s sake!” 

“I believe you’ll know sooner or later the reason why, Doyoung.” Jungwoo smiles knowingly at Doyoung, and that smile is the kind that has Doyoung reminded that Jungwoo is a half-blooded Veela, the same almost icy air it gives and it has Doyoung blinking at Jungwoo, who has averted his gaze from Doyoung and back onto his book. 

Doyoung briefly glances at Seulgi and Sooyoung, only to find that they are still chattering away. Doyoung can’t help but release a tired huff from his lips. He finds that he has absolutely nothing else to do but finish his breakfast now.

“Hey, Doyoung.” 

A mop of ruffled pink hair blurs Doyoung’s face, and there’s no question on who it has to be. The smile on Doyoung’s face is inevitable when he greets Jaehyun, “Good morning, Jaehyun. What creatures are you looking for this time?”

“Wrackspurts.” There’s a pair of Spectrespecs perched on Jaehyun’s face, a light hue of pink coloring the frame to match his hair. The lens are dim but Doyoung can still feel the warmth from his eyes, crinkling as he grins at Doyoung. “Your head has some of them, actually.”

“I’m not surprised.”

Jaehyun laughs, “Mind if I take a seat? I won’t take long, I just have something to give you.” 

He hands Doyoung a ripped piece of parchment, folded in half. Doyoung opens his mouth to inquire if Jaehyun meant for him to throw it away as a favor but Jaehyun smiles once again and tells Doyoung in a soft voice, “Read it.” 

Doyoung arches an eyebrow but unravels the paper anyways, to find a barely comprehensible note scribbled on it, the same rough cursive. Doyoung sucks in a breath, “Doyoung, will you go to Three Broom —“

Jaehyun interferes with evident alarm in his voice, “No!” He exclaims, ears tinged with a bright pink. His voice falls gently when he speaks again, “I meant to — read it — softly — to yourself.”

“Oh.” Doyoung squints at the letter before he scans it, the note reading: 

Doyoung, will you go to Three Broomsticks with me this Saturday? Just for fun :-) 

Jaehyun

(P.S Don’t read this out loud)

Oh, and there’s proper punctuation this time. Doyoung adores the development Jaehyun’s had.

“You couldn’t have written the notice before the actual message?” Doyoung says, receiving a sheepish look from Jaehyun. 

“I was sorta in a hurry to write that —- I didn’t really think things through before giving it to you.”  
Jaehyun says, his ears glowing vividly with red. He looks up, almost hopeful despite his eyes being covered. “So? What do you say? Is it a yes?”

Doyoung raises his eyes to meet with the other’s whose expectant look has just started to falter when Doyoung remains mute. Doyoung scans the note again, “Of course,” he says, feeling a pleasant smile crawl up on his face. 

Jaehyun straightens up in his chair almost instantly at Doyoung’s agreement. The grin on his face lights up his whole face. “That’s —- that’s great!” He says, smile so bright that his nose scrunches up along with the Spectrespecs. He rises to his feet quick. “I’ll pick you up from your dorm! Does eight sound okay?”

“Eight sounds splendid, Jaehyun —“ 

“That’s awesome! I’ll see you at Transfigurations!” Jaehyun exclaims, a bit too loudly that it startles Jungwoo, almost dropping his textbook and tea in the process. Jaehyun utters a small apology before the simper returns to his face and he begins to run off, his shouts echoing the Great Hall and gaining the attention of the passersby, “I’ll pick you up on Saturday! Eight!”

Doyoung blinks as he watches Jaehyun disappear out of the Great Hall. He doesn’t exactly understand why the other is so giddy about a simple get-together but he shrugs it off, he supposes Jaehyun likes going out a lot. 

“Doyoung, will you go to Three Broomsticks with me this Saturday?” Sooyoung peers over Doyoung’s shoulders, flatly reading the letter aloud as one does when they’re being forced to recite in class out of their will. She finishes with a just as equally bland, “Jaehyun.” Sooyoung raises an eyebrow at that but what Doyoung doesn’t understand is the big grin playing on her lips. 

“What?” Doyoung says, highly suspicious of what is going on in Sooyoung’s head, the latter acting like her motives are not conspicuous at all.

“Nothing,” Sooyoung says, exchanging a knowing glance with Seulgi before bursting into a squeal. “You’re really growing up, huh? I’ve known you for ten years and this is the first time I’ve seen you actively participate in the dance of romance.”

Doyoung blanches, “Dance of what?”

“Yeah — whatever,” Sooyoung replies, content with keeping the context to herself. “Enjoy your date, Doyoung.”

“First of all, it’s not even near Saturday yet, and second, it’s not a date,” Doyoung corrects, straightening out of his chair and grabbing his satchel with him. “It’s a simple get-together with a friend. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go to class now. Goodbye Seulgi —,” Seulgi murmurs the same goodbye as Doyoung turns his head to the other Hufflepuff, whose nose is still buried in his books. “Jungwoo.”

“Enjoy your date, Doyoung,” Jungwoo says without looking up from his book. 

“Not a date!” Doyoung corrects once more before stalking off the Great Hall, leaving a cackling Sooyoung behind.

-

Jaehyun did, in fact, pick up Doyoung on Saturday. A black coat wrapped around him, adorned with a light pink hat, and a matching peach scarf gently draped over him. He looked very pleased as he stood outside the Slytherin dorms, even more so when he saw Doyoung slip out of the common room, his grin widening, showing off his dimples. 

They had been conversing about their lessons in Transfigurations on the way to Hogsmeade, as they usually would, with special mentions of dragons and potions. They saunter through the thick layers of snow, almost tripping multiple times in the process before laughing it off.

Jaehyun strictly demanded that he would pay, all serious and not taking any protests from Doyoung at all, only ushering him to get a table before reappearing with a cup of pumpkin for himself and a glass of cherry syrup merged with soda, for Doyoung. He has another another huge smile spreading on his face before he settles down next to Doyoung.

“Y’know, I was actually surprised when you said yes to this, Doyoung,” Jaehyun says, sliding Doyoung’s drink across the table.

Doyoung takes a meek sip, the sweetness is gratifying in his mouth. “Why would you be? We’ve developed quite a relationship these days, Jaehyun; you’ve made me quite a talkative ome during Transfigurations.” 

The tips of Jaehyun’s ears turn red, matching well to the color of his scarf. “Well, I just assumed going out wasn’t your thing.”

“You are correct,” Doyoung says, enjoying the way Jaehyun fixes his gaze on him. “I don’t get out much but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity like this one. These past few days, I have found myself enjoying your company, surprisingly.” 

“Oh.” The color in Jaehyun’s ears redden. “Same.”

It ends in silence after that. Terribly awkward, Jaehyun appears to notice that too but he only stares at his cup of Butterbeer.

“By the way,” Doyoung begins, clearing his throat. “How is your Potions essay going? Of course, mine is already finished and I want to know if you’d like some help and if you want some help on this module, I also offer free tutoring services on —“

Doyoung breaks off, feeling heat creep on his face. He’s rambling again. In a brief flash, Sooyoung words prior to this ring throughout his head, Remember your filter. He clamps his mouth shut instantly. “Sorry, I tend to get carried away.”

“Oh no, it’s cool,” Jaehyun says, wildly gesturing with his hands. “I’m actually interested. Potions isn’t really my thing. I’m more into Charms and Transfiguration, if anything.”

“And Quidditch, perhaps?”

Jaehyun looks up in surprise, “You know I play Quidditch?” Of course, Quidditch has never been a topic for the two of them during class, they’re always about casting spells, dragons, and how to bake cookies. But Doyoung senses a pleasant tone in Jaehyun’s question.

“You’re the team captain, Jaehyun,” Doyoung says, raising an eyebrow. “Your reputation precedes you.”

Jaehyun’s question is a nothing but a brief hum.

“And also Sooyoung lives for gossip,” Doyoung admits, ignoring the victorious grin on Jaehyun’s face. “So, I hear almost everything about everyone.”

The grin on Jaehyun’s face is bright, flashes off his dimples well. The desire to poke them is strong in Doyoung. “Tell me everything then,” says Jaehyun, curiously. “Everything you’ve heard about me.”

“Are you sure you want to know?” Doyoung raises an eyebrow, taking a sip of his drink. Rumours shared to Doyoung aren’t quite pleasant statements to hear. 

But the smile on Jaehyun’s face only widens at that, his nose is beginning to scrunch up again, creating whisker-like crinkles at their sides. It’s adorable, really. 

“I do,” Jaehyun says, taking a gulp of his drink, “Tell me and I’ll confirm if it’s true or not.”

This sounds like something they could be discussing during a game of gobstones truly, but it’s a fun challenge and Doyoung takes pleasure in them, so he starts strong in his words, “I heard that you have a Norwegian Ridgeback tattooed on your buttocks.”

“False!” Jaehyun guffaws, loud and thundering, his hand slamming on the wooden table between them, rattling their drinks so violently that Doyoung embraces his. The look on Jaehyun’s face is rather amusing though, that it’s only normal for Doyoung to chuckle out a few laughs. Jaehyun calms down after a while, wiping away excess tears as he speaks up once more, “First of all, it was just an attempt, and second, it wasn’t even going to be a dragon -- though I was wish I had thought of that first -- but it was actually going to be a pixie.” 

Doyoung almost chokes on his drink.

“I didn’t really think it through. It was decided after a drunken round of butterbeer in the dorms,” Jaehyun says, waving a hand in dismissal, not seeming to realize he was admitting of being intoxicated to a prefect. Doyoung will let it go this once. “Next.”

Doyoung thinks for a while before a memory refreshes itself, “You tried to sneak in a dragon during fourth hear?”

“Third year,” Jaehyun says, the cadence of his voice soft, in between of sounding mad and amused. “I heard this man behind a shop in Hogsmeade, saying that he’ll raise this dragon before he skins it alive for his furniture. Honestly it didn’t make any sense but I still impulsively stole that dragon after talking and punching the man then I ran all the way back to Hogwarts. I got detention for five weeks.”

Doyoung bites the inside of his cheeks as he tries to contain the feeling of his blood boiling at the thought of someone daring to hurt a possibly young tiny Jaehyun, and an even tinier baby dragon. it didn’t add up to Doyoung. But he couldn’t quite voice this out so he keeps mum, only muttering a barely audible, “Oh.”

“Next.” The carefree tone is back in Jaehyun’s voice.

“You dated Yeh Shuhua in fifth year and dumped her right after the year ended near the Great Lake.” The flinch from Jaehyun doesn’t go unnoticed by Doyoung but he doesn’t say anything about it either, only taking a mouthful of his drink, trying to hold off the desire to twist his face. 

The laugh erupting from Jaehyun’s lips has a bitter sound. “Yeah,” he says, fixing his gaze onto his glass of pumpkin juice. “I always knew we were never compatible -- Shuhua and I. She always enjoyed living her life surrounded with people who worship her every move and I just didn’t enjoy that. I mean, she was nice and all but I could sense she was only doing it for anything but — love.”

Doyoung can’t keep his curiosity to himself. “If you knew that from the start, why even agree to date her?”

“She was very convincing, I’ll give her that,” Jaehyun admits, running a hand through his hand, the peach tresses bouncing right back. “Sending me love letters, giving me chocolate frogs, handing me a fish --”

“Wait -- you have a fish?” Doyoung has only ever heard of Jaehyun blathering about his Peaches, the hit-and-run crup, so it’s only common for Doyoung to think that he had one pet in his ownership.

“Oh, Shuhua dumped him in the girls’ lavatory after we broke up.” Jaehyun almost looks pensive, slumped over his chair. “I named him Jeffrey but she killed him.”

“Sorry,” Doyoung says, stiff and awkward. 

Doyoung opts to stare at his drink. It’s empty.

Jaehyun seems to be aware of the sudden change in atmosphere, and he flashes Doyoung another smile, showcasing his dimples once more. “I don’t really mind it though,” he says. “I was never sad about it… I was only upset when she murdered Jeffrey.”

Doyoung only blinks up at Jaehyun, not really knowing how to process of Jaehyun’s words. He might have underestimated the other’s love of animals, magical or not. It is one of the three things Jaehyun will only talk about: mainly of dragons and such further beasts, sweets, and the other subjects being their lesson for Transfigurations. 

“Anyways.” The dimples on Jaehyun’s cheeks become more prominent as he leans closer to Doyoung, whose face starts to heat up at the close contact. “We’ve both finished our drinks now. Shall we go out? I wanna go to Honeydukes before we go back.”

Doyoung simply nods, rising to his feet in sync with Jaehyun, who wraps his scarf he had previously discarded around his neck, half of his face obscured by his face but Doyoung suspects the grin is still present. 

He allows Jaehyun to lead him outside, letting the other maneuver him to their location. They enter in Honeydukes, where other Hogwarts students are present also, scattered around the place like ants. In the corner of his eyes, Doyoung spots Lee Taeyong, grabbing an unsurprisingly handful amount of sweets. His hair is a vivid shade of blue today.

As if sensing Doyoung’s presence, Taeyong raises his eyes to meet with Doyoung’s, and he narrows his eyes in disdain, a look that Doyoung easily returns with a sneer. He covers a snort with his hand when his trusty roommate, Yuta, arrives to the scene, draping himself around Taeyong’s shoulder, causing Taeyong’s hair to undergo a swift change of multiple colors when he removes his gaze from Doyoung and onto Yuta. He settles for a bright scarlet when Yuta places a soft kiss on his cheek.

Yuta seems to notice where Taeyong’s attention was before, glancing up to see Doyoung then sticking out his tongue, the usual mischievous undertone in it. Doyoung can only cackle before jerking his head back to Jaehyun, who seems to be caught up with a red box of candies, adorned with a Fire Crab on top of the box. Doyoung almost drools at the sight.

“Should I buy this?” Jaehyun inquires, flipping the box over to scan its contents. “It says it’s strawberry dipped in chocolates… with a surprise? It sounds delicious.”

Doyoung perks up, “It is!” He promises. “Sooyoung once gave that to me as a Christmas gift, it is an absolute godsend I tell you, Jaehyun. You should try it.”

It is. The moment one decides to chew on a piece, it all explodes into a gooey explosion of strawberries and chocolate. Doyoung almost cried out of joy at his first experience of tasting them, unknowingly entertaining Sooyoung and Yuta as they open their presents in the common room during Christmas.

Jaehyun lets his gaze linger on Doyoung, an unreadable look crossing over his face before he smiles, eyes crinkling in a way that makes Doyoung’s chest feel -- weird. Jaehyun tilts his head closer to Doyoung before he halts, and turning to the shelf, grabbing five more of the boxes.

“I’ll try them then,” Jaehyun says, swivelling around to look at Doyoung one more before he strolls over to the cash register. 

“Oh, you should try just one, Jaehyun,” Doyoung says. “If you haven’t tried it yet -- you shouldn’t get too much. You might not like it.”

“I trust your judgement, Doyoung,” Jaehyun tells him simply, before he hands over his payment, receiving a bag of his sweets in return. He offers his hand to Doyoung, “Shall we?”

Doyoung only laughs, accepting the hand, permitting Jaehyun’s guide as they begin to hike their way back to Hogwarts. Doyoung accidentally lets a giggle slip out of his lips when a cold gust of air slaps his face.

He gets a glimpse of the gaze Jaehyun sends his way, his warm hazel eyes softening before turning his attention somewhere else. The heat surging through Doyoung’s face is unexpected.

“Now, Doyoung,” Jaehyun starts once, swinging their hands together. His scarf flies through the violent winds, hitting him in the face every second or two but he doesn’t seem to bother fixing it. “I know that Gryffindor has lost to Ravenclaw for two consecutive years now during the Quidditch Cup finals but I want you to watch my game despite the fact that I might lead my team to defeat --- again --”

Jaehyun almost sounds wistful as he talks about this. Doyoung has heard of this from Sooyoung; For the past five years, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw have been absolutely ruthless in their matches, always finding each other at the finals of the Inter-House Quidditch Cup but Gryffindor has never made it pass Ravenclaw’s aggressive play, always in defeat by the end.

“But we’ve been practicing harder now and I can’t guarantee a win but I can promise we’ll do our best.” Jaehyun’s ears are a bright scarlet when he continues. “I thought that maybe -- if you’ll come watch, I’ll work even harder than I would to help my team win.”

Doyoung glances at Jaehyun before he tears his gaze away over to -- anywhere else but the tender hearth that has made its home in Jaehyun’s stare. Doyoung chooses to fix his gaze on their tangled hands, Doyoung had forgotten all about it but he doesn’t mind now that he’s noticed. It’s almost a comforting activity -- and it’s nice to hold Jaehyun’s hands. Calloused, from what Doyoung can assume from his Quidditch activities. It’s a contrast against the soft nature of Doyoung’s palms, since Doyoung doesn’t do much but tend to his classes, prefect duties, and Sooyoung. 

Now that he’s thinking about it, Doyoung isn’t one to amuse himself with things such as Quidditch, only ever hearing the outcomes from Yuta, a massive Quidditch fan and the captain of Slytherin’s own team, and also from Sooyoung, whose girlfriend is among one of the skilled Chasers in Hufflepuff. Doyoung prefers to spend his time in the library more, either studying for his lessons, or just reading potion books for fun. Doyoung isn’t that bland of a student though, he has watched one game of Quidditch during his third year, and it didn’t exactly appeal to him well.

(“Kim Yerim!” The former Quidditch captain of Slytherin, Kwon Yuri, screeches across the field, gathering the attention of everyone. “Stop fraternizing with the enemy and start snatching that snitch. We have to win, goddamnit!”

Said student jumps at her name being called and she groans, breaking herself off Oh Sehun and their game of “no, you can have it” before she zooms across the field to chase the snitch that had made its appearance long ago. It also doesn’t take long before a bludger hits Oh Sehun square in the jaw, sending the boy tumbling across the field, prompting a scream from Yerim.

Doyoung only winces before hiding himself in Sooyoung and Yuta’s cloak.)

But when Jaehyun slowly turns his head to gaze at Doyoung, there’s a glint in those deep brown eyes that just can’t allow Doyoung to even think of declining his request. “Of course I’ll be there for you,” Doyoung says, unable to resist returning the grin Jaehyun sends him. “You even payed for our drinks, you’ve been nothing but a good friend to me, Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun freezes, almost unmoving if it weren’t for the soft pants of air slipping out of his lips. It’s only when Doyoung waves his free hand in front of Jaehyun’s face, that the other breaks out of his reverie. “Right --- yeah, you too,” Jaehyun says, voice tight. “You’re really great friend, Doyoung. Thanks. I’ll expect to see you at the game next week then.”

“I won’t miss it.” Doyoung isn’t one for promises, but this is one he knows he won’t regret making. 

Jaehyun smiles then, allowing a comfortable silence as they walk with their interlaced hands swinging by each step. It has Doyoung feel a serene air between the two of them, and it relaxes him instantly. 

“This was a great date by the way,” Jaehyun says after a while before his face turns green, stopping his tracks. He evidently hadn’t meant for that to escape his mouth, but the damage is done and his words has Doyoung frozen in his steps too,m.

“Yeah,” Doyoung stutters out, heat rushing to his face fast despite the cold weather. He fiddles with the cuff of his coat as he adds, “It was great.”

Jaehyun keeps mum after that, clamping his mouth shut. They stroll back to Hogwarts with another round of quietness. It’s when Doyoung throws himself onto his bed that he realizes that, their hands did not, even once, separate until Jaehyun returns him to his dorm, murmuring a soft goodbye and flashing his dimples to Doyoung one last time before he trudges back to his own; quite a long walk from the Dungeons to the Gryffindor Tower.

-

It’s another night for Yuta and Doyoung. They’re both settled down on the window seat, at the corner of the room. Doyoung, as usual, is assisting Yuta in his assignment and studying for their exams, with the usual smack of his rolled up worksheet when Yuta would ask stupid questions, such as ‘who do you think has a bigger ego? Ten or a Hippogriff?’ and ‘how many giants do you think can fit into that blasted ego of Ten’s?’ It’s only when Ten and the others are sneaking out that Yuta can feel brave to do that. 

They’ve wrapped about most of their work, Yuta screeching a shout of victory, running to his bed before shoving his face onto his pillow, leaving to Doyoung to tidy up his books and notes. There’s a lingering thought that can’t stop running around Doyoung’s head, like an annoying pest coming to haunt him. 

It’s been eight hours since the event that Jaehyun called a “date” has transpired and Doyoung can’t stop thinking about it. It’s such a simple and miniscule word; why does Doyoung even care? Perhaps it’s in the way Jaehyun said it, and that, if anyone else were to say it, Doyoung wouldn’t think about it as much like what he is doing right now. 

Maybe it’s because it was Jaehyun who said it.

Doyoung feels a heat of emotion creep up on his face. It isn’t quite like him to think of such things, and the ticklish feeling is so foreign for him. It’s disturbing.

“Hey Yuta.” He hears the muffled response of the other through a hardly discernible hum. “What do you think makes a date -- a romantic one?”

Yuta sits up, his regular teasing grin on his face. “Kim Doyoung!” He exclaims. “ Are you planning on asking me out? I’m disappointed. I thought you, out of all people, knew very well that my loyalty goes to my significant other.”

“Shut up,” Doyoung snorts, setting his things on his nightstand. He leans on the post supporting his bed. “I perceive you in a very platonic perspective, Yuta.”

Doyoung does his best to avoid Yuta’s dubious stare when he says, “It’s just that I’m curious…”

“You were also curious when you asked me a very similar question the other night, Doyoung. I don’t know if it’s considered a flaw but it sure is one way to describe you,” Yuta says with a laugh, patting the vacant spot of his bed. “Come hither, fool.”

Doyoung glares at him but he complies anyways, marching over to Yuta’s side across the room in weary strides. He seats himself down gently, right before Yuta tackles him, pulling Doyoung down to the mattress and tumbling along with him, getting a strangled noise from Doyoung. 

“Yuta,” Doyoung says with gritted teeth, poorly attempting to pry the other boy’s hands off him. “What are you doing?”

Yuta still has that stupid mischievous grin on his face when he releases Doyoung from his vice grip. “You’re so cute, Dons,” he tells him, poking Doyoung’s cheek, “watching you grow in romantic affairs by the passing days is really adorable, and you don’t even seem to notice it yourself.”

Doyoung furrows his brows. “What do you mean romantic affairs --”

“Don’t think I didn’t see you at Honeydukes with Jung Jaehyun earlier.” Those words are enough to gain a weak whine from Doyoung. “Taeyong was pissed but I had to drag him all the way out just to see you what you two lovebirds were up to --”

Doyoung tries to protest, “It wasn’t anything of a romantic affair --”

But of course, Yuta ignores him, rubbings his knuckles against Doyoung’s scalp to shut him up, “-- and Merlin! You two were acting like a bunch of second years! Blushing while holding hands and all that --”

“Literally shut up, Yuta.”

“-- honestly, it’s sorta pathetic and painful when we were watching you two that you even Taeyong got laughing at you.”

“Oh please -- as if he doesn’t do that when he’s with you. What a hypocrite!”

“Hey now.” Yuta flicks Doyoung’s forehead, not just inflicting physical pain but an internal bruise to Doyoung’s pride. “Not in front of his boyfriend.”

“Right,” Doyoung says with a sigh. He doesn’t sit up and so does Yuta, the two of them just fixing their gaze at whatever is above them -- which are glowing stickers of angelfish Yuta’s placed inside the upper panel of his canopy bed. A memory of its introduction passes Doyoung’s head. 

(“I don’t quite understand this,” Doyoung says, puzzled, just as Yuta had finished sticking them inside the tester, a wistful look on his face.

Ten nods as he examines the decorations Yuta had made. “I didn’t really peg you as the type to enjoy fishes, Yuta,” he says thoughtfully. “Especially since you almost cried like a little bitch when the Quidditch team was about to throw you in the Great Lake.”

“It’s Taeyong’s patronus,” Yuta says with a fond smile on his face. It made Doyoung uneasy when he ignored Ten’s jab at him; he’s be usually returning one snarky remark of his own but the almost ecstatic look on his face seemed to prevent that. It was weird. “He showed it to me over the summer. He’s worked so hard to cast it -- it’s supposed to be an angelfish but I couldn’t find one so I chose whatever fish was there in that damned muggle store.”

“You could have enchanted it to be one, Yuta. You’re a wizard,” Doyoung points out, also about to comment on why Taeyong’s patronus fits him so well because he stinks like on but that was out of the question because suddenly Yuta straightens up with a sudden yell, startling Ten and Doyoung.

“You’re right,” Yuta gasps at him before he displays his wand in his hand.)

“But can you answer my question though?” Doyoung huffs out, earning a laugh from Yuta. (How he stays energetic despite the clock is nearing midnight, Doyoung doesn’t know.)

“To answer your question,” Yuta says. “This is my opinion -- but I guess what makes a date -- a romantic date, as you put it -- is well, the dynamic of the people involved.”

Doyoung jerks his head to face Yuta, absolutely confused, and Yuta cackles at him.

“Like when you would hang out with Sooyoung in Three Broomsticks, it’s only a fun little get-together between friends, right? You two don’t have any romantic feelings toward each other, right? Just best friends?”

Doyoung nods slowly. He patiently waits for Yuta’s point on this.

“But when I would accompany Taeyong to the library for studying purposes --” Yuta breaks off to muffle a quiet chortle, like there was something he was leaving out to Doyoung, “-- even just there, I would consider it a date because I have feelings for Taeyong and Taeyong has feelings for me. It’s all about the atmosphere and the dynamic, Dons. Those are what make a date.”

Doyoung turns his head back to the glowing stickers. Their sentimental value to Yuta suddenly make sense to Doyoung. “Oh.”

“Mhm.” Yuta sits up then, Doyoung following him. Yuta ruffles his hair one last time before placing a light kiss on Doyoung’s cheek. There’s no deeper significance to it than just a friendly one, it’s how Yuta projects his empathy to close friends, nothing romantic. It was funny the first time Taeyong got jealous over seeing Yuta kissing Doyoung during fourth year, but he knows better and he doesn’t mind at all now, knowing how Yuta enjoys skinship -- saving his more intimate ones for Taeyong. 

A brief thought passes by Doyoung’s mind: What if Jaehyun kissed him on the cheek?

Doyoung instantly pushes to the back of his mind.

“Now you should get to sleep, Dons,” Yuta says, pulling Doyoung up. “The dark circles under your eyes are getting worse.”

Doyoung laughs, climbing on his bed. “Thank you, Yuta.”

“Goodnight, Dons.” The light spreading through their room is dim, faints of green somewhere, but Yuta’s smile is bright, as it usually is. 

“Goodnight, Yuta.”

“I hope I managed to help, I have a strong inkling that your blooming romance with Jaehyun will start strong.”

Doyoung pulls his duvet above his head when he feels his face heating up at the mere mention of Jaehyun. It’s weird, to feel like this. “I’m going to sleep now.”

“Like getting hit by a bludger kind of strong.”

“Goodnight, Yuta.”

Silence ensues them after that, and Doyoung is deep into his thoughts. They’re louder this time, questioning what he feels about Jaehyun. He quietly tells himself that he sees Jaehyun as a friend and nothing more, but it doesn’t quite fit for Doyoung’s conscience, and he doesn’t understand why. Their activities have been nothing but friendly ventures, so why does it feel wrong to label it as that?

Doyoung sighs, closing his eyes in an attempt to silence his deafening thoughts. He’ll think about this another time when he doesn’t have a quiz nearing him.

-

Doyoung’s enjoying himself of the frigid snow, with the company of Yuta, Seulgi, and Sooyoung, the four of them scattered around but not too far off. Yuta said that Taeyong would’ve been gladly attended whatever this is, had the Hufflepuff not have extra activities to partake in.

They all pause at that explanation, to which Yuta simplifies that it’s Doyoung’s presence repelling Taeyong to turn up.

Doyoung snorts, and replies with an amused, “I’m not surprised.”

He fishes out a small bottle from the breast pocket of his coat. Ten had once again, dragged him to the Potions classroom to teach him how to brew the current potion they’re learning, and in common Ten fashion, showed him his Arithmancy homework for blackmail purposes. Despite Doyoung knowing very well, he could easily write another, he gives in to Ten anyway, knowing that his roommate gives a good chunk of pudding as a thanks. 

“I brewed this in the early morning,” Doyoung says. “Ten dragged me to the Potions room again and I’m actually not sure if this is as legitimate as the ones I made in class --”

“There’s a catch!” Sooyoung immediately accuses. “He wants us to drink it!”

Doyoung rolls his eyes. “No, I want you to smell it and tell me if the scent you smell are like the ones Professor Lee showed us in class.”

“I’ll start!” Yuta volunteers, gladly receiving the elixir from Doyoung’s hand. “Amortentia for me smells like Taeyong and a bitch misses him and that bitch is me.”

“Disgusting.”

Yuta takes a meek whiff of the bottle, “Taeyong has a roses and baby powder kind of fragrance,” he says with a sigh so tender, Doyoung scrunches up his nose in disgust. Yuta passes the bottle to Sooyoung, who was starting to make grabby hands. “Yeah, that’s one legit potion, alright.”

“It smells like pineapples, polish, and oranges.” Sooyoung giggles at her girlfriend, burying her face into Seulgi’s shoulder. “Pineapples are definitely you, babe.”

“Did you just sniff me?” Seulgi says, feigning a horrified look. She takes the bottle from Sooyoung before sniffing the potion. “Kiwi, oranges -- yeah, it’s Amortentia.” She returns the bottle to Doyoung, who hides it in his breast pocket again. “I can’t believe you only brewed this this morning. They really weren’t kidding when they said you’re a prodigy in Potions.”

Doyoung grins at that, a burst of pride in his veins. He can’t hide his own enlarging ego when he takes pleasure in being complimented in his own work, unashamed. Doyoung enjoys it when his hard work is appreciated; he can’t lie about that.

“You’re usually so sure of your potions, Dons.” Yuta is as sharp as ever, inclining his head to look at Doyoung curiously, “what made you think that this one was a mistake?”

“When I first brewed it, I originally smelled: cherry syrup with soda, empty cauldrons, and parchment,” Doyoung says. “But when I finished brewing it earlier, parchment was replaced with a fruity kind of smell -- peaches? I think?”

Yuta snorts, “I’m not surprised,” he says. “Cauldrons -- you’re a nerd, Dons.”

“I am not --”

“Merlin!” Sooyoung jolts up, startling them. She points an accusing finger at Doyoung. “Jung Jaehyun’s hair smells like peaches!”

Doyoung furrows his eyebrows, “Where did you even get that information --”

“I know Yeh Shuhua,” Sooyoung says, flipping her hair over her shoulder. The mention of that name has a storm forming in the back of Doyoung’s head. She murdered Jaehyun’s fish. “She sits behind him in Defense of Dark Arts and also she dated --”

“ -- dated him during fifth year, yeah, I know her.” Doyoung most absolutely did not mean for his words to be so bitter and brash but somehow that happened, and he feels heat crawl up on his face at the look on their faces when they all glanced at him in surprise simultaneously. “Yeah -- sorry.”

“Are you jealous, Dons?” The grin on Yuta’s face is absolutely irritating and Doyoung quickly fixes his gaze down on the pale snow beneath him.

“I’m not,” Doyoung mutters.

That sounds like a lie.

“It’s okay to be jealous,” Seulgi offers not so helpfully. “It’s a normal function and --”

Seulgi’s words break off when Sooyoung whispers in her ear, muffled but the giggles from Seulgi sure aren’t. It doesn’t take long before the two of them straighten up, brushing off the snow off their coats. The grins on their face have a distinct meaning and it’s an evident one.

“We have some things to do,” Sooyoung starts. “Seulgi’s Pygmy Puff has —“

“Errands to run,” Seulgi supplies.

“Many errands to run,” Sooyoung agrees. “So we sorta have to leave you guys. Sorry bye.”  
The apology is most absolutely not sincere when the smile on Sooyoung’s widens.

Yuta snorts, obviously also not trusting their words. “Alright then. Go ahead.” It’s only when they’ve hiked up a good distance that Yuta catches the attention of passersby as he yells, “The two of you ain’t slick! We all know you’re going to snog in the kitchens!”

“Brutal.” Doyoung chuckles at the embarrassed shouts of the couple before he turns to Yuta. “Now I know Taeyong doesn’t loathe me that much -- I think -- what’s the actual reason he’s not here?”

“Sleeping,” Yuta says, a sudden change to the cadence of his voice. “He’s been working so hard these days I don’t wanna bother him for silly and trivial activities when he’s so tired. He deserves his rest, really. He’s always busy studying and such that I begin to worry he’s gonna collapse.”

“But I’m sure he would be glad to see you though,” Doyoung says, furrowing his eyebrows, “for support and such.”

There’s a distant look in Yuta’s eyes as he says, “He told me that too,” he says. “But the human body is so weak, y’know? Our physical bodies can only handle so much.”

Doyoung blinks at him, “I guess.”

Yuta smiles at him, a smile that Doyoung easily recognizes as a smile one would wear when they’re talking to their little brother. “I’m sure you’d understand sooner or later, Dons.” He glances down at his wristwatch before groaning, rising to his feet. “Man, I gotta leave for Quidditch practice. Is that cool with you, Dons?”

“Yeah, absolutely.” Doyoung waves him off. Now that someone mentions a schedule, Doyoung is reminded that Renjun has asked him for an extra lesson today, and he should really start to prepare his materials.

“See you later.” Yuta doesn’t leave of course with another kiss to the cheek before he finally walks away. He pauses in his tracks though, jerking his head back to face Doyoung. “By the way -- if you ever get lonely, I’m sure your date would gladly accompany you if you asked.”

“It wasn’t a date. Shut up, Yuta.”

The cackle erupting from Yuta is loud. “Bye Dons! Think of that date!”

When Yuta runs off, a new figure enters Doyoung’s vision and he recognizes it immediately when they stop in their tracks, a large mass of soft coral hair isn’t just anyone in Hogwarts, especially when they possess warm hazel eyes and such an energetic crup. Doyoung stands up to greet him.

“Jaehyun.” There’s an electric feeling that comes when Doyoung utters Jaehyun’s name, a different kind of magic than the one he’s been living in. “And -- Peaches. How have you two been?”

“Fine.” The hostility in Jaehyun’s voice is unwarranted and it has Doyoung taken aback on how different Jaehyun sounds. When he raises his eyes to gaze at Doyoung, the gentle specks of brown aren’t there at all. His voice is tight when he speaks again, “Listen, Doyoung… I have to go… clean up Peaches’ piss -- I’ll see you later.”

Doyoung blinks, “Oh sure --”

Jaehyun doesn’t let him finish, sprinting in the other direction as swift as light, Peaches in hot pursuit. The cold gesture has Doyoung’s chest sinking, but he supposes Jaehyun isn’t in a good mood to put up a smile.

So who are you to pry into his business? The thought pricks Doyoung’s chest easily, and it stays there for the whole day.

-

It’s another Friday, the week has passed and this is the only day Doyoung might actually talk to Jaehyun for real, seeing as to how the other has begun to spin around on his heels the moment he meets Doyoung’s gaze. It’s like the Jeno situation all over again; Doyoung doesn’t know what he’s done wrong but the other avoids him as if he just murdered their family right in front of them.

(In Jeno’s case, wouldn’t make sense because Doyoung is his family. But that’s for another time.)

Doyoung is lucky because Professor Kim is still in the middle of meeting, with the excuse that she’s going to be twenty minutes late, and when Doyoung jerks his head around to check if Jaehyun is present, he gets a glimpse of the familiar mop of peach hair. It’s Jaehyun, and the ticklish feeling creeping inside Doyoung’s chest is back. Doyoung isn’t really one to be scared and nervous but somehow a distant Jaehyun’s presence has his nerves tingly.

Despite his highly strung state, Doyoung calls out for Jaehyun, a small, “Hey, Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun doesn’t reply. His silence is somehow louder than the chatter scattering around the classroom. He’s usually polite enough to even send a small smile when he’s busy. Jaehyun mustn't have heard him so Doyoung tries one more time despite his heart beating louder than thunder in his chest.

“Jaehyun?”

No response, and there’s a heavy stone inside Doyoung that drops to his stomach. He tears his gaze away from Jaehyun and opts to count the ticks on his wrist watch instead: one tick, two ticks, three ticks, four --

The volume of Jaehyun’s voice is soft when he speaks up, but Doyoung catches the exasperation laced there, “Yes, Doyoung?”

Doyoung almost jumps out of his seat before he regains his composure to glance at Jaehyun, who’s already looking at him. “Oh -- nothing.”

“What is it really?” Jaehyun says with a sigh.

“I just -- nevermind.” Doyoung tears his gaze away from Jaehyun. “Nevermind, it’s… nothing.”

Jaehyun doesn’t say anything after that. Doyoung fixes his gaze on his textbook. He should really try to focus more on his education again, he’s a sixth-year, a prefect, and in a blink of an eye, he’ll be graduating from Hogwarts. He should really try to focus on that more than Jung Jaehyun, with his stupid pink hair and his stupid dimples -- he shouldn’t have even gotten acquainted with someone like Jaehyun in the first place. Everything was fine and normal when Doyoung only had Yuta, Sooyoung, and Jungwoo. 

Yet everything became even better after meeting Jaehyun --

A tap on his shoulder breaks him out of his reverie. 

He jerks his head around, to see Jaehyun with a guilty expression, not quite looking at Doyoung, and all thoughts Doyoung was thinking of before are completely thrown off the boat. 

“Look, Doyoung,” Jaehyun starts. “I’m sorry for these past few days. I’m just in a bad mood and I guess I… took it out on you.”

Doyoung blinks, “You sort of did, Jaehyun,” he blurts out, totally not letting that slip out and totally deserving of the surprised look crossing Jaehyun’s face.. “But I suppose I should take a part of the blame since I’m being too annoying anyways and --

“No,” Jaehyun sighs. “You’re cool, Doyoung. It’s just that -- I’m sorta down.”

“Oh,” Doyoung breathes out. “If it’s okay for you -- you can tell me. Professor Kim only left us with seatwork.”

Jaehyun’s eyes glaze over his paper, but he doesn’t appear to even notice it, worry replacing the usual joy in his brown eyes. He takes a deep breath -- and exhales, “Well, someone I like -- we’ve only gotten close recently and I’ve started liking him after we hung out together alone once -- and I --,” he breaks off with a brittle laugh.

Doyoung blinks. There’s an unfamiliar and ick feeling bubbling in his stomach, he doesn’t quite know what it is but he can affirm that it isn’t a pleasant feeling at all. He isn’t sure if he’s more disappointed in this topic or how how he is reacting to it.

Jaehyun doesn’t seem to notice though, eyes straight on his paper. “I actually let myself hope that I -- y’know? I had a chance with him but I saw him another guy the other day and I guess I read it wrong… I’m an idiot. An idiot disaster.”

He even used Doyoung’s word of the month.

“Oh Jaehyun,” Doyoung says, doing his best to ignore the boiling feeling spreading through his blood. “I don’t know what to advise you on this, I’m not quite experience in romantic affairs but if he has someone else, you should most likely move on, right?”

For the first time in that day, Jaehyun raises his eyes to gaze into Doyoung’s, and the bright glint is back in his eyes, although only faint. His voice is small when he speaks, “Have you ever dated someone, Doyoung?”

His name sounds good when Jaehyun says it. How come Doyoung’s never noticed it til now?

“No.” Doyoung shakes his head. “I don’t think anyone really likes me. I’m a very boring person.”

“I don’t think you’re boring at all, Doyoung.” Jaehyun’s voice is like a love potion for Doyoung’s ears, and it’s sending ambiguous signals to Doyoung. His tone has completely shifted into his regular one: the soft one that soothes Doyoung’s nerves immediately. “I think you’re more interesting than anyone else.”

“That’s a bit of a stretch,” Doyoung says with a shaky laugh. “You are friends with Johnny Seo after all.”

“I really do mean it, Doyoung.” The look in Jaehyun’s eyes is enough for Doyoung to stop questioning the sincerity of his words. “Like when you told me those fire crab candies were good and the moment I tasted them, they really were.”

Doyoung almost gasps, pride blooming in his chest but not quite replacing the sickening experience his chest is currently having. “I know… I did recommend them after all.”

Jaehyun smiles at him for the first time in that day, and Doyoung easily returns it to him.

The door slams open, startling everyone inside the room, and the person standing in the doorway isn’t Professor Kim. Rather it’s a shorter figure, adorned with the deep blue Ravenclaw necktie and the Head Girl badge. It’s Bae Joohyun, and the angry expression she has on her face is more terrifying than her regular stoic one.

“Kim Doyoung.” The cadence of her voice is soft yet it echoes around the classroom, sending shivers up Doyoung’s spine. If there’s anyone Doyoung fears more than the teachers. It’s Bae Joohyun. “You are called in the Headmaster’s Office.”

Doyoung’s heart may as well stop beating there. He’s been keeping track of his activities, and he hasn’t done anything wrong that has broken school rules and such from his own knowledge. 

“But I haven’t done anything wrong --”

“Now.” The tone in Joohyun’s voice implies that she will not be waiting any further, and it has Doyoung scrambling up from his seat. He catches Jaehyun’s eyes, brown irises filled with concern. Doyoung crosses his fingers and hopes that this event won’t taint his reputation, or that he won’t look any different in Jaehyun’s eyes.

Doyoung lets his gaze linger on Jaehyun one more time before he exits the classroom with Joohyun’s following in tiny strides.

-

As it turns out, Doyoung hadn’t done anything wrong at all. His records are still clean, and he still manages to get a handful of praises from Headmaster Choi despite the situation.

It’s his brother who had done something wrong.

When he enters the Headmaster’s Office, he gets seated across Jeno, whose knuckles are marred with ugly streaks of red and purple, his wand gripped tightly in that hand. He doesn’t look up at Doyoung’s arrival, streaks of his dark hair falling over his face. Jeno’s gaze are fixed intently on his bruised hands that he has firmly placed on his lap as Headmaster Choi tells Doyoung of Jeno’s situation, avoiding any contact directed at him.

Jeno had apparently gotten into a fight with a group of first year Slytherins, and it was Jeno who had casted the first spell before launching himself into them, only getting himself beaten up by them until Joohyun had found them. 

So now, they’re outside the Headmaster’s Office, Jeno glaring at whatever is it in his line of vision after receiving a month’s worth of detention and Doyoung looking at him as he waits for Jeno to speak up though he thinks the other won’t do that any sooner. 

“Jeno,” Doyoung sighs after a while. “Come on, talk to me.”

Jeno’s voice is tight. “What’s there to talk about.”

“I think you very well know what we need to talk about.”

“I don’t,” Jeno snaps. “I’d prefer it if you’d leave this out of your letter to mom and dad -- please?”

Okay. Maybe screw gentle soothing this time.

“I think I will write whatever I wish to write,” Doyoung scowls, crossing his arms, “If you’re not going to tell me why you did what you did I might as well write that letter right now --”

“Wow,” Jeno scoffs, jerking his head to finally look at Doyoung in the eyes and the look on his face is fierce. But Doyoung knows him better. “Blackmailing? That’s a new low --”

“I don’t care,” Doyoung interrupts, narrowing his eyes to match Jeno’s glare. “I’m one spell from getting my quill and parchment if you don’t speak up, Jeno --”

“Fine!” Jeno’s voice cracks, tearing his gaze away from Doyoung, lifting his eyes to look at a nearby portrait. “These Slytherin students -- they keep mocking me.”

Doyoung furrows his eyebrows, puzzled. “We talked about this before going here, didn’t we? You’re supposed to tell the teachers or you prefects or the Head Girl or the Head Boy --”

“They called me a blood-traitor.”

Doyoung’s blood is boiling, and he freezes instantly at how defeated Jeno sounds. He doesn’t know if he should be entertaining the sudden anger surging through his veins.

“What?”

“They said that I… bring shame to my family name, that I --” Jeno breaks off, voice tight as if his voice will crack if he doesn’t restrain his words. “Yeah.”

Doyoung can’t stop the tears pricking at the back of his eyes. He’s so stupid. “Fuck.”

Jeno immediately looks up instantly when the profanity slips from Doyoung’s lips, his expression changing into one of alarm as fast as lightning. “Oh, hyung --”

“Fuck,” Doyoung says again, and his knees are weak, and they hit the floor, a painful crackling sound that’s bound to give him bruises but he doesn’t care at all, only holding Jeno’s hands as he forces his brother to look at him in the eye. “Jeno, you were supposed to tell me this -- you’re -- you’re not supposed to bottle it all up and --”

“I thought you were ashamed of me,” Jeno says, his voice soft. “‘A Hufflepuff among generations of Slytherins.’ I really thought you were ashamed of me ever since the Sorting Hat placed me in Hufflepuff and --”

“Is that why?” Doyoung demands, making sure he’s looking at Jeno directly, making sure that Jeno will know that even though there are still disgusting people like those left, there are better ones to look and listen to. “Is that why you’ve been so far off?”

Jeno nods with a sniff.

“Jeno, you idiot.” Doyoung embraces Jeno instantly, not minding at all when the other buries his face onto Doyoung’s shoulder. All of a sudden, Doyoung feels like Jeno is back to being a little toddler, an absolute crybaby, always calling out for his older siblings, and Doyoung doesn’t mind it at all. “You should’ve told me. You really should’ve. It doesn’t matter to what house you’re in and I’m sure Mom and Dad feel the same way.”

“Even Taeyeon?” Jeno pulls away

“Of course Taeyeon wouldn’t care. She’s your sister. She’d strangle you if she knew you even thought of that. You shouldn’t let those wankers tell you what to think -- we’re your family, Jeno.”

Jeno bites the inside of his cheek. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I really shouldn’t have acted so stupid.”

Doyoung feels a smile crawl up on his face, kissing the top of Jeno’s head. “You’ve learned your lesson now, that’s good.” He positions Jeno to make sure he’s looking at Doyoung’s eyes. “You’re enough for us, Jeno.”

Jeno keeps mum before his lips start to waver and he throws himself onto Doyoung, sobbing hard as he attempts to speak in between choked words, “I’m sorry -- I really am.”

“Jeno --”

“I’m such a damn wanker,” Jeno sniffs in an irregular rhythm before he wails again, “I really am -- I’m a stupid, stupid, wanker…”

“Oh Jeno,” Doyoung whispers, clutching his little brother tighter. “I really do mean it. You’re Jeno and that’s enough. You’re enough.”

“I really -- really am sorry, hyung,” Jeno says, in between short gasps of air. He’s squeezing his eyes tight when tries to pull away from Doyoung’s embrace. “I really am.”

“That’s all done now, Jeno,” Doyoung soothes, softly patting Jeno’s head. “You’re okay now, we’re okay now.”

Jeno sniffles, slowly detaching himself from Doyoung. “Merlin,” he says with a raspy laugh. “I hate talking about feelings. Let’s never do this again.”

“As long as you swear to immediately tell me if that happens again,” Doyoung says, rising to his feet, and wow, his knees really do hurt. “Do not -- most absolutely do not -- even dare try casting the first spell. Always use spells to defend yourself, not to initiate fights like you earlier -- you idiot.”

“Alright.”

Doyoung narrows his eyes. “Promise me that, Jeno.”

“Of course, hyung,” Jeno says, back with his bright smile. “I will.”

“Good.” Doyoung starts to walk, with Jeno in his trail. “Now I had to skip class for this and so did you. Shall we go? I’ll drop you off to wherever you should be.”

“Potions.”

“Ah, I hope you’re doing well,” Doyoung tells him. “It’s a very fun subject.”

“Fun?” Jeno gives him a weird look before laughing. “My head aches just thinking about it.”

“You do know I offer free tutoring sessions for Potions, right?” Doyoung says, pinching Jeno’s cheek.

“Yeah,” Jeno snorts. “Just to look good for requirements.”

“Hey,” Doyoung frowns. “I actually enjoy teaching Potions, excuse you, and I think you would enjoy the presence of one of my students. Renjun. He’s a very witty and diligent boy, he’s funny.”

Jeno averts his gaze from Doyoung, but Doyoung doesn’t miss the color of his cheeks turning beet-red. “He sounds wonderful, hyung.”

“Yes,” Doyoung says, squinting his eyes. Jeno acts like he isn’t conspicuous but he very much is, and Doyoung will have to entertain him. “I think you know him, Jeno. He’s also a first year, I’m sure you’ve seen him around.”

“Nope.” Jeno’s voice is betraying his words. “Never heard of him.”

Doyoung gives him a pointed look, “And I also think that you know him and you are lying to my face.”

“Ugh, fine. Jeno groans in defeat. “I know him. He’s in my flying class.”

“And?”

Jeno sighs, “I may or may not like him?”

“You really are growing up,” Doyoung says, a sudden burst of emotion striking his chest. “I’m so proud of you, Jeno, but you are growing up too fast --”

“Shut up,” Jeno says, still red in the face. “Jungwoo told me you went on a date with The Jung Jaehyun.”

“It -- it wasn’t a date,” Doyoung stammers out. That’s too close to home.

“It -- it wasn’t a date,” Jeno mocks Doyoung in a high-pitched voice, which absolutely doesn’t sound like Doyoung at all. “Taeyong also told me he saw you two holding hands, don’t even lie.”

“And you believe him?” Doyoung screeches, feeling a heat of emotion fill his face and neck. “It wasn’t -- I -- I guess it was a date? I don’t know.”

Jeno just beams at him, appearing to bask in his brother’s embarrassment. “Honestly hyung, you’re acting more of a kid than I am in romance.”

“Shut up.” Doyoung rolls his eyes. “I’m just not sure -- “

“I’m sure you two will figure it out,” Jeno says, evidently teasing Doyoung, “more on you figuring it out but maybe Jung Jaehyun too.”

“I can’t believe you, Lee Jeno,” Doyoung scoffs, directing his gaze to anywhere but Jeno’s eyes. “Disrespecting a prefect --”

“You’re using your prefect card over this? Come on you --”

Doyoung ignores him. “Yes, shut up,” he says a little too loudly. “Now tell me about your thoughts on Renjun.”

Jeno rolls his eyes but complies anyway, gladly talking about his fondness over the Ravenclaw student, from seeing the other fail on flying a broom and from seeing him laugh. As Doyoung listens intently til they arrive at the dungeons, he relates to whatever Jeno was feeling -- as his brother words it, ‘utterly whipped’.

-

“Doyoung, how do you know someone likes you?” Renjun asks over a lecture about the Forgetfulness Potion, inclining his head to the side as he glances at Doyoung curiously.

Doyoung can absolutely see why Jeno likes Renjun. He always has a witty response available while still being careful with his words, absolutely hard working in learning Potions and his other subjects, and most importantly, he gives Doyoung at least three packs of chocolate frogs by the end of every session. If he were to return Jeno’s feelings, Doyoung will be happy to receive such a brother-in-law as he’s grown fond over the young Ravenclaw, like he’s gotten another little brother.

“Have you finished your worksheet?” Doyoung retorts, pointing to the piece of paper on Renjun’s side of the table.

Renjun rolls his eyes before sighing at the pointed look Doyoung gives him, “Yes. Now can you please answer my question?”

“I’m not really the person you should ask for these kinds of questions, Renjun,” Doyoung says, biting the inside of his cheek. He’s also struggling with his own problems — that problem being Jung Jaehyun and his classes. “I have no experience in it whatsoever.”

“Yeah, you already told me this but I hoped you would still be able to tell me,” Renjun says with a frown. “From an outsider’s view. Since you’re a sixth year and you’ve probably watched your friends fall in love over the course of six years, right?”

Doyoung hums thoughtfully. It’s a recent habit of his now. “Perhaps it’s in the way the person of your interest treats you.”

“Come on, that’s so vague,” Renjun groans.

Doyoung thinks back to three months ago, where Sooyoung was still pining for Seulgi, then he goes further, into fourth year where Taeyong had begun to return Yuta’s feelings. A whole rollercoaster of a ride, really. Then just earlier, how Jeno speaks of Renjun, who’s right in front of Doyoung’s face now, and Doyoung with Jaehyun —

No.

“For example,” Doyoung begins, pretending as if that last thought of his didn’t just end him, “when we were in our fourth year, Yuta was still in the process of courting Taeyong — he was reading too much romance novels, I say — and as the days progressed, I began to have an inkling that Taeyong was starting to falter and feel the same way —“

Renjun can’t contain his excitement at all, “How?”

“Well Taeyong and I enjoy bickering with each other much to everyone else’s annoyance, I can only ever hear that annoying voice of his when he talks to me,” Doyoung says, snorting, “and then when he talks to Yuta, he’s suddenly the Virgin Mary — was that term correct, by the way — and it’s so completely unlike the Lee Taeyong I had grown accustomed to.”

“You used it correctly,” Renjun says, a proud look crossing over his face. Doyoung has honestly learned more about muggles from him than the past five years he’s learnt from Muggle Studies. “So, like a more noticeable difference into how they act around the person they like compared to everyone else?”

“Yes.” Doyoung nods to that. It’s no surprise Jeno is infatuated with this boy. “It sometimes serves it in the smallest differences possible. Although, it could be platonic at times. You just have to have a really good sense of the shift in the atmosphere to know it though.”

“I think I have that sense!” Renjun says, voice raising a volume, completely forgetting that they’re in the library. “I noticed that when I saw you and Jung Jaehyun!”

Ah, yes. The one subject he’s been deliberately trying to avoid.

“Why does it all come back to me?” Doyoung frowns. “We’re just friends and nothing more. I harbour no romantic feelings towards him and I’m absolutely sure he feels the same way too.”

Ha. Even that sounded like a lie to Doyoung’s own ears.

“I was just guessing,” Renjun shrugs. “I saw you two walking in the corridors the other day, you weren’t really speaking but the way you look at him is totally different to the way you look at me and how you look at your other friends, in fact.”

Doyoung grows curious of what else Renjun has to say. “How exactly?”

“You’re relaxed with him,” Renjun says. “I’m not saying you look uncomfortable when you’re with your friends but what I mean is that, you looked as if can let all of your walls down when you’re with him, and I can tell he feels the same way about you.”

“How?” Doyoung bites the inside of the cheek. He really doesn’t want to believe in what Renjun is saying.

But at the same time, he’s hoping by each word and memory that passes through.

“I usually see Jaehyun and his friends lounging around the corridors, I can tell he enjoys being with them but there’s a certain boundary there, y’know? It’s like he doesn’t set any with you,” Renjun finish with a proud smile, like he’s just won the Best Storyteller Award and perhaps Doyoung will give him that award, along with Attempting To Raise Other People’s Hopes Award.

(Doyoung blanches at himself. When had he ever let himself hope such things like that? He should be focusing on schoolwork.)

Doyoung hums. That’s impossible, seeing as to how Jaehyun poured his heart out all over to Doyoung earlier about his crush. “You seem to make a lot of lengthy hypotheses, Renjun.”

“When the subject my friends talk about get too boring, I like to observe people.”

Doyoung laughs, attempting to direct this conversation to anything but Jaehyun and him. “Yes, and now what I observe is that you’re trying to apply this knowledge to something — or should I say, someone?”

“Well,” Renjun says, face burning into a bright shade of red. He immediately averts his eyes, from Doyoung to his finished worksheet. “There is this person I’ve grown to like — more than a friend.”

Doyoung crosses his fingers and hopes it’s Jeno. “Oh? Care to share who?”

“He’s this wild Gryffindor in my History of Magic Class.” The quiet admission has Renjun reddening even more. If Doyoung were to be honest, he isn’t that disappointed nor is he surprised that Renjun didn’t choose Jeno because one, it’s obviously not his business, and two, Renjun has been building up to this for weeks now — always mentioning ‘this Gryffindor kid in my class’ and ‘Gryffindor kid is so annoying’. Should Doyoung be shocked, really? 

Doyoung hums, “Okay?”

“His name is Yangyang and —,” Renjun breaks off, spinning his head around to check if anyone is listening in.

“And?” Doyoung teases.

“He’s very nice to me,” Renjun finally says, pouting, “after I helped him in class that one day, he would always run to my table after that, just to have a meal or invite me outside for a game of gobstones. I honestly thought he was going to bribe me anytime sooner but I have found that he’s enjoyed my company just as much as I enjoyed his.”

The smile on Doyoung’s face remains frozen. That last bit to Renjun’s testimony sounded awfully familiar —

Doyoung coughs into his hand, “You sound very fond of him.”

“That’s because I am,” Renjun says wistfully. “He’s invited me to watch his match this week -- which is stupid because he’s fighting against my house -- I don’t know what to make of because he’s a very friendly person yet he’s only asked me -- and I’m currently in the process of betraying my house for his.”

— too familiar.

Doyoung smiles despite the fact that his thoughts are dragging him into lethargy. “I guess this is the part where we have to brave, yeah?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Doyoung,” Renjun say, snorting. He slides a bag of chocolate frogs across the table. “This is the part in the books where we wait for fate’s design.”

Jaehyun’s face flashes across Doyoung’s mind unceremoniously, with his naturally tousled pink hair and his always crinkling brown eyes, and the question is there: does Doyoung like Jaehyun? In a romantic sense?

Perhaps.

“Don’t be dramatic, Renjun, You’re still young,” Doyoung says, handing him another piece of parchment, prompting a groan from his student. “Now answer this other worksheet.”

-

Doyoung absolutely made sure he was early for the game, hurrying to the utmost front of the bleachers with Yuta and Sooyoung in hot pursuit. A good half of their faces are obscured by their emerald scarfs as protection against the strong gusts of wind whirring around, it has Doyoung wondering if he could still be recognized despite the weather and his attire.

Jaehyun’s down there in the field with him team, rambling on what Doyoung can guess to be team play, he doesn’t really get sports. Jaehyun is looking terrifyingly handsome in those scarlet robes of his, with his broom propped up on his shoulder.

Doyoung gulps. Terrifyingly handsome, indeed. Even more handsome when he appears to finish his pep talk and he glances up at Doyoung as if sensing his presence, and Merlin, right when he smiles, showcasing those deep dimples of his, is when Doyoung’s heart begins to palpitate and he doesn’t think there’s a spell to stop it alongside the ticklish feeling he starts to feel in his stomach.

Is this what happens when you realize you’re in love? Painfully so in love?

“Merlin, Dons.” He hears Yuta shuffle closer to him. When Doyoung glances at him, the other gives him his signature full grin. “You just admit you’re in love and suddenly you’re getting braver? Giving Jung Jaehyun googly eyes? You’re more whipped than I thought.”

Doyoung told Yuta his ‘extreme’ realization right after his session with Renjun, scurrying back to the Slytherin common room and throwing himself onto Yuta’s bed where the other was spreading chips on, exclaiming when Doyoung shakes the whole canopy bed.

(“Dons, are you okay?” Yuta places a soft hand on his head. “Bad day? I heard you got called to the Headmaster’s office.”

Muffled noises from Doyoung.

“What?” 

Doyoung lifts his head up to gaze helplessly at Yuta. “I think I like Jaehyun.”

Yuta guffaws, throwing his head back as his soft pats become a hard slap to the back of his head, eliciting a yell from Doyoung. “You just realized that now?”)

“Shut up.” Doyoung is glad that his face is hidden by his scarf, otherwise he would get an endless teasing from Sooyoung. “I’ll hex you if don’t shut up.”

Sooyoung doesn’t seem to be listening to their conversation, leaning in to Doyoung to whisper, “I’m placing my bet on Ravenclaw for 5 galleons.”

“That’s unfair, Sooyoung,” Yuta tuts, pointing at her with an accusing finger. “We very well know how the match will end. No need to pick on Doyoung.”

Doyoung furrows his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“I literally just told you this the other day, Dons!” Yuta says, booping Doyoung’s nose as a reprimand. “It’s like you don’t even listen to me —“

“That’s because I don’t.” Doyoung is quick to interject.

Sooyoung rolls her eyes. “Ravenclaw has whooped Gryffindor’s ass for two consecutive years now. I’m sure it’s gonna be the same this year. Nothing's gonna change when Chungha is still Ravenclaw’s captain.” 

“It’s also because they had fucking Dickhead Jimin on Gryffindor’s team but he’s off now ,” Yuta says with a scoff. “Nasty fella, I tell you — and that’s true because I played against him. He’s a lousy beater and even lousier teammate. I’m glad he’s out —“

Doyoung sighs, “Okay, Yuta we get it —“

Yuta doesn’t listen to him, bending over the post to scream and testing Doyoung’s patience to throw him off at that moment, “Hey Gryffindors!” He shouts, voice booming throughout the area, gathering of not just the players but also the people on the opposite side of the bleacher. “You’re gonna win this shit now that you don’t have Dickhead Jimin anymore!”

Jaehyun looks up then, glancing at Doyoung first before turning to Yuta and squinting, as if trying to decipher if Yuta is actually talking to him. “You’re right?”

Yuta fixes his eyes on one of the beaters who looks puzzled at the sudden intrusion, even more so when Yuta points an accusing finger at him, “You — kid!”

“My name is Yangyang,” The boy shouts back, running a hand through his dark hair.

Oh. Doyoung thinks to himself. This must be Renjun’s object of affection. 

“Merlin, Yuta,” Sooyoung hisses, grabbing Yuta’s coat in failed attempts to get him back. Yuta only bends down further, and Doyoung deeply wishes Jungwoo were here instead of being at Hufflepuff’s area of the bleachers. “You’re embarrassing the three of us, not just yourself.”

“Win this game for me, alright? Tell those Ravenclaws to —,” Yuta breaks off when he notices the Ravenclaw’s glowering eyes at him, only prompting a grin from him, “TELL THOSE RAVENCLAWS TO FUCK OFF.”

“YOU’RE JUST BITTER BECAUSE WE WHOOPED YOUR ASS IN THE FIRST ROUND, NAKAMOTO.” A louder yell comes from the other side of the field. It’s Jung Jinsoul.

Yuta sniffs, finally detaching himself from the railing, “It was an act of mercy.”

It isn’t quite a normal sight for Doyoung to see Yuta very heated like this, since Yuta has always been a pillar for Doyoung: calm and sturdy. Meeting a highly aggressive Yuta is a scary experience for Doyoung, especially when he raises his volume a bit too much for Doyoung’s liking. Trust Quidditch to turn Yuta so invigorating and heated. 

Doyoung glances down at the field, scanning it thoroughly before his eyes meet with Jaehyun’s; it doesn’t make sense that that certain shade of brown that’s made its home in Jaehyun’s eyes has suddenly become his favorite color to look at. Brown has never been aesthetically pleasing for Doyoung, always scrunching up his nose in disgust when the potion he has to brew is that particular color. Doyoung didn’t realize how warm it can make him feel until now.

Jaehyun and him share a look; not really saying anything and really moving from their spot either. But they still see each other, and Doyoung’s breath hitches when Jaehyun’s eyes begin to crinkle, lips twisting into his cheerful grin and dimples flashing. Merlin, what’s he so cute for?

Madame Han scurries over to the pitch, a case tucked under her arm. The game is starting soon; Johnny and Ten have started the introduction, blue and crimson are a blur in Doyoung’s vision. The captains shake hands before every player mount their brooms.

Jaehyun lets his gaze linger on Doyoung before he smiles and takes off, leaving a loud chaotic disaster in Doyoung head.

Although quietly, he hears Sooyoung snicker and whisper, “Idiot disaster,” in his ear

-

To say the game was wild was the understatement of the year. Doyoung doesn’t really understand how Quidditch specifically works, but judging by how Sooyoung and Yuta would scream in his ears how, “unbelievably stupid that was,” and how, “it’s not against the rules but damn that shit was funny,” and the best one, “HOLY SHIT JEON HEEJIN NEARLY BROKE HER BROOM. THAT’S EXPENSIVE.”

(“-- and as our referee is awarding out penalties, our favorite Seeker, Jeon Heejin is chasing the Golden Snitch!” Ten announces, alerting Ravenclaw’s Seeker, Nam Dawon, who makes a comical face and goes back into the game, cutting off Madame Han mid sentence.

The cheers and guffaws of the crowd intensify as the two Seekers begin to soar in the sky, in blissful ignore of the referee’s statement and their team members below.

Yuta cackles, throwing an arm around Doyoung, “It’s not against the rules but shit -- it’s funny.”)

The only player Doyoung had truly focused on though was the one with ‘14’ stitched in gold numbers on the back of his scarlet robes. Is it even surprising at this point? Jaehyun is, after all, the only reason Doyoung even bothered attending the game. 

And how stressful was watching Jaehyun almost get thrown off his broom multiple times after every encounter with Park Jinyoung. It wasn’t just that though, Jaehyun had done plenty of better things than just falling off his broom like almost knocking out Jo Jinho by the head after he hurls the quaffle into one of the goalposts. Doyoung doesn’t know what it feels like but from his perspective, it’s almost as if Jaehyun’s arm was about to rip from that toss.

Aside from everyone nearly dying, the match was an emotional one -- not for Doyoung -- but for the teams -- and Yuta. It’s Chungha’s last year as Ravenclaw’s captain, and the Gryffindors had their victorious win after five consecutive years. Although, her tiny figure was barely comprehensive to Doyoung’s eyes, he could tell Chungha was crying, shoulders shaking up as she made her way to the corner.

(“It’s always these kinds of matches that make me cry,” says a sniffing Yuta. Sooyoung and him are passing tissues now, completely disregarding Doyoung’s presence in between them. “It’s always the ones with a sad backstory for their objectives.”

Sooyoung chokes on a sob as she hits Yuta’s shoulder, “Oh shut up.”)

Jaehyun couldn’t make it to the victory party with the rest of the team though, as when Jeon Heejin finally catches the snitch, Yangyang breaks his focus and cheers, prompting a stray bludger to collide with Jaehyun’s chest right after, sending him tumbling down to the ground. Thus, not just triggering a screeching Doyoung but also a panicked Gryffindor team.

(“He’s not breathing.” Doyoung immediately expects the worst, worry starting to storm into his head. “Is he dead?”

“What do you mean he’s not breathing?” Sooyoung smacks the back of Doyoung’s head. “His eyes are literally open and he’s crying, Doyoung.”)

It’s why Doyoung’s inside the Hospital Wing right now, loitering around the corner, pretending to look at the shelves of medicine as he waits for the Gryffindor Team to finish sending their wishes for Jaehyun’s recovery, who’s sitting up, clearly against Key’s instructions but Jaehyun doesn’t appear to care, smiling up at his team.

Doyoung watches as the team files out of the room, a sniffling Hirai Momo in tow, who mumbles a low voice, “I’m glad Dickhead Jimin isn’t here,” as she exits, leaving Jaehyun and Doyoung alone. There’s chaos ensuing at the back of Doyoung’s head and Jaehyun’s eyes on him isn’t really helping.

“Hey,” Doyoung says after a while, feigning a relaxed look when he’s anything but that when Jaehyun is looking at him like that with those deep brown eyes of his. “Great game.”

There’s a ghost of a smile on Jaehyun’s face. “Yeah, it was.”

“You also got hit by a bludger.” Doyoung is stupid. It’s as if his academic records for the past six years suddenly dissipated into nothing. He briefly points at the bandages on Jaehyun before he instantly decides that it’s also a stupid gesture. “It must hurt.”

He’s an idiot disaster.

“Yeah,” Jaehyun says, his voice is tight, like he’s trying to hold back something.

Doyoung stands there, he doesn’t quite know what to do.

Jaehyun adjusts the way he’s seat, softly patting the vacant spot he’s left. “Y’know -- you can sit here.”

“Oh,” Doyoung stammers out, stiffly trudging over to Jaehyun’s bed. “Thanks.”

Silence ensues them, and Doyoung looks down to see Jaehyun’s hand over his. He doesn’t make a move to remove it. Instead he smiles up at Jaehyun, who’s already looking at him. “Y’know… you were great today.”

The glimmer in Jaehyun’s eyes brightens, his words a raspy whisper, “Really?”

“Well, yeah,” Doyoung laughs. “You won, Jaehyun. It’s as you said, you all worked your hardest today. You were great.”

Jaehyun blinks at him once -- twice before he cracks.

He breaks down into a sob, prompting Doyoung to wrap his arms around him as Jaehyun covers his face, shoulders begin to shake tremendously in Doyoung’s hold. There’s a deep sinking feeling in Doyoung’s chest as he runs his hand down Jaehyun’s head. He wonders how long Jaehyun has been holding this in.

“We really -- we really did win, huh?”

“That’s a good thing,” Doyoung soothes, rubbing a hand over his back, careful not to apply too much pressure. “That’s a good thing, right?”

Jaehyun chokes on a sob as he attempts to speak, “I really — didn’t expect this.”

“You all did your best out there! You deserve that win, Jaehyun.”

“I don’t know why I feel so sad,” Jaehyun sniffles, head on Doyoung’s shoulders. 

Jaehyun detaches himself from Doyoung, still hiccuping, tears falling ungraciously onto the white duvet, and Doyoung’s heart aches at the thought of how Jaehyun has been repressing these feelings for such a long period, not letting his walls down for the sake of his teammates. It’s then that Renjun’s words run through Doyoung’s head:

He doesn’t have to set any boundaries with you.

“You promised you would work hard and you did, you won, Jaehyun.” Their hands are still interlaced together, and Doyoung’s words are shaky as he tries not to falter under Jaehyun’s stare. “You won.”

“I promised you a lot of things,” Jaehyun tells him. “I also promised you that I’d work harder when you’d attend the game and --”

“You did! You won.”

“I found myself to enjoy your company too much, Doyoung.”

It’s a too good statement for it to be real. “What?”

“Doyoung, I --,” Jaehyun breaks off, a guilty look passing over his face before he continues, “these past months that we’ve been talking, I have started to think that you’re a really cute and interesting and really adorable person and I -- I think that I may like you for that -- not just as a good friend but as a -- but as someone who wants to kiss you and maybe hold your hand even though we’re already doing that now --”

“Jaehyun,” Doyoung exhales. He’s too convinced that this is unreal, and he becomes bolder. “Can I kiss you?”

Jaehyun blinks in surprise before he composes himself again, “Of -- Of course, it’s all I --”

Jaehyun doesn’t get to finish that. Doyoung shuts him up by leaning in and closing the distance between them. Doyoung is convinced now that it’s not a dream at all. It’s very real, and Doyoung is more than happy with that realization as the scent of peach permeates through the air and the feeling of Jaehyun’s soft (but bruised) lips brush against his. It’s when they depart, that Doyoung sees the effect he has on Jaehyun. The latter’s ears a bright pink as he grins up at Doyoung.

Doyoung repeats it to himself. It’s not a dream at all, it’s very much all real. 

“About that favor you promised me,” Doyoung starts. “I think I might have something in mind now.”

Jaehyun blinks once more, as dazed as Doyoung. “Yes?”

Doyoung could barely contain his excitement, “I wish to go on a date with you.”

“Very well,” Jaehyun grins. “If that’s what you want, I’ll go on a date with you.”

“We’ll go to Honeydukes, and then just stroll around anywhere we want while we eat fire crab candies while we -- preferably -- hold hands and talk about potions, dragons, and Quidditch.”

Jaehyun seems to surprised by his plan but he smiles up anyway. “That’s good for me.” He places a soft kiss to Doyoung’s cheek, and the red staining his ears matches the heat in Doyoung’s face. “Stay with me? I want to take my time into thanking you -- despite my broken ribs, and bruised face.”

Doyoung feels his heart swell as he places his forehead on Jaehyun’s, an immense feeling of comfort flowing through him. He thinks of what he’s been heard from Yuta, Sooyoung, Renjun, Jeno, and even Jungwoo. They were absolutely right, and Doyoung will have to write each of them a very detailed letter of thanks. Later. Since Doyoung doesn’t want to let go of Jaehyun yet.

-

(“By the way,” Doyoung says as they stroll through the snowy pavements of Hogsmeade, hand in hand, “the day when I was called to the Headmaster’s office, you said you saw me with another guy and thought I had a boyfriend, right?”

Jaehyun averts his gaze then, as if knowing where the direction of this conversation will go, “Yeah…?”

“Was the man perhaps… Yuta?” Judging by how Jaehyun completely avoids his eyes as they trudge through the pale snow, Doyoung laughs. “Were you jealous of Yuta, Jaehyun?”

Jaehyun sniffs, a pout on his lips. “Maybe.”

Doyoung shakes his head and placates Jaehyun with a kiss to his cheek.)

**Author's Note:**

> if you think the ending sucked and was rushed, you're not wrong actually 
> 
> follow my twitter: [skittihyun](https://twitter.com/sylvihyun)


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